Summary

1 Government faces significant challenges in providing public services. Continuing austerity has put additional demands on departments, which are already trying to tackle complex reforms with fewer staff and smaller budgets. Our work across government has highlighted the problems this can create for financial sustainability and the need to transform public services.

2 In 2011, the Coalition Government launched its Government ICT Strategy and set up Government Digital Service (GDS) as a centre of digital expertise within the Cabinet Office. Since then, GDS has worked to improve the quality of online information and help transform services so that they meet users' needs.

3 Transformation has not been straightforward. While many government services are now available online, departments and GDS have struggled to manage more complicated programmes and to improve the complex systems and processes that support public services.

4 In February 2017, the government published its Government Transformation Strategy. The strategy sets out GDS's new approach to supporting transformation across government and its aims for the current spending review period.

5 In this report, we review the role of GDS in supporting transformation and the use of technology across government. Our report is structured as follows:

• Part One describes how GDS has evolved and sets out some of the questions that a central technology function needs to consider.

• Part Two considers GDS's role in coordinating and setting strategy across government.

• Part Three looks at how GDS has supported other departments, including by promoting new technologies and uses of data.

• Part Four examines how GDS has developed a more common approach to digital development across government through setting standards, establishing reusable central systems and controlling spending.

6 Figure 1 overleaf outlines how our report considers GDS's activities.

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Figure 1
Government Digital Service's activities by area

Government Digital Service (GDS) undertakes a range of activities relating to technology and transformation

Source: National Audit Office. See Glossary for fuller explanation of abbreviations
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