WIREDGOV

As part of the Government's commitment to delivering world-class digital products, recently the Minister for Cabinet Office Francis Maude announced the Identity Assurance programme would be receiving an extra £10 million in funding.

The Identity Assurance programme deals with the way a service provider can be assured that the customer or user is who they say they are as they access Government services.

Francis Maude made the announcement at the 'Ensuring Trusted Services with the new Identity Assurance Programme' event. Speaking to heads of leading UK technology firms he updated them on the Identity Assurance programme and issued a call to action for companies to work with the UK Government to develop solutions for the project. Francis Maude said:

The UK has a great technological heritage and in Identity Assurance we have a unique opportunity to create jobs and growth in a new area – one in which I believe we can lead the world. Our ambition is for this programme to create new private sector enterprise, new investment, more jobs and ultimately produce trusted solutions, which will be key to ensuring citizens are confident to engage with government online.

"In Government we will ensure a consistent user focussed approach, not driven by short term business needs but by a quality service to citizens.

"To deliver the Identity Assurance programme it is imperative that we encourage and work with the private sector. The Government will aim to provide a supportive role so that companies can develop solutions that work not just for us – but also for the citizen."

Some of the money will be used to establish a central Identity Assurance programme team under Mike Bracken's leadership in the Government Digital Service. Whilst speaking at the event, Mike Bracken said:

It is no longer acceptable to develop large scale government ICT projects while user demand for, and usage of, digital identity services continues to develop so quickly. Previous timelines have extended for many years whilst in the mean-time the ability of users and technology move on apace.

"We intend to work with the private sector and in Government to develop protocols, standards and cross-Government web services rather than large IT projects, and to do that we need an environment in Government where technology leaders in the identity space can flourish. By placing the Identity Assurance programme within the newly created Government Digital Service, we will ensure that user needs will be put at the forefront of what we do, based on user demand for new and existing Government digital services."

The event was run in partnership with the Technology Strategy Board (TSB) – an executive non-departmental public body (NDPB), sponsored by the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS). The TSB has now been running a Trusted Services programme for a number of years. Projects from the Trusted Services programme were showcased at the event. These projects are aimed at accelerating the development and deployment of innovative, secure and trustworthy information services within the UK and the wider global economy.

Notes to Editors

1. To keep up to date with development of the Identity Assurance programme and other GDS projects see the Government Digital Service blog
2. For more information on the Technology Strategy Board please visit their website: www.innovateuk.org