Source · Select Committees · Public Accounts Committee
Recommendation 12
12
Accepted
The Algorithmic Transparency Recording Standard remains underused, hindering public sector AI transparency.
Recommendation
The Algorithmic Transparency Recording Standard (ATRS), is intended to support public sector bodies to improve transparency and provide information about the algorithmic tools they are using, but the NAO found it was not widely used.27 We challenged DSIT on this lack of transparency as, at January 2025, only 33 records had been published on the ATRS website. 20 Q 38 21 Q 37; DSIT, A blueprint for modern digital government, January 2025, p 20 22 Q 39 23 C&AG’s Report, figure 10 24 UAIG0012, UAIG0017, UAIG0020, UAIG0032, UAIG0033, UAIG0035 25 UAIG0036 26 UAIG0011, UAIG0027 27 C&AG’s Report, para 3.20 12 It agreed with us that more records should be published and told us that the pace of publication had increased and it expected that to continue over the coming year.28
Government Response Summary
DSIT will update the Committee in six months (January 2026) on departmental compliance with the Algorithmic Transparency Recording Standard (ATRS) and further action it is taking to tackle gaps in transparency to strengthen public trust, including to address public concerns over data privacy and the sharing of sensitive data.
Government Response
Accepted
HM Government
Accepted
2. PAC conclusion: Public trust is being jeopardised by slow progress on embedding transparency and establishing robust standards for AI adoption in the public sector. 2a. PAC recommendation: DSIT should write to the Committee in six months to update us on: • Departmental compliance with the Algorithmic Transparency Recording Standard and further action it is taking to tackle gaps in transparency to strengthen public trust, including to address public concerns over data privacy and the sharing of sensitive data. 2.1 The government agrees with the Committee’s recommendation. Target implementation date: January 2026 2.2 DSIT is continuing to implement the mandatory rollout of the Algorithmic Transparency Recording Standard (ATRS) in central government and is aiming to publish records for all currently identified in-scope algorithmic tools (as of March 2025) in government departments (not including ALBs) by the end of 2025. A range of activities to evaluate the effectiveness of the published ATRS records at strengthening public trust are planned to take place from summer 2025 and will be included in the Government Digital and AI Roadmap publication. 2b. PAC recommendation: • How its strengthened spend controls for high–risk AI use cases will support safe and ethical AI roll–out. 2.3 The government agrees with the Committee’s recommendation. Target implementation date: October 2025 2.4 In addition to the changes already made to the risk and importance framework to ensure that products and services that leverage AI are identified, GDS has also updated internal guidance for DSIT officials assuring AI spend. The spend control assurance of all Digital spend above thresholds that’s flagged as “AI” now checks for compliance with Algorithmic Transparency Recording Standard (ATRS). Further work is underway to develop an approach to assuring delivery on the back of that spend during digital service assessment exercises. An update will be provided in the Autumn by DSIT on any further changes to spend assurance, along with the changes introduced into service assessments as well. These initiatives will be part of the Government Digital and AI roadmap, planned to be published in Autumn 2025.