Changes in Whitehall: What’s Happened to Technology?
OPINION: “Where should we position digital government? You know, all that money poured into consultants and outdated systems?” “Oh, that! Just categorize it under sports and tourism. And something we term ‘place’.” It sounds like a silly exchange between a SpAd* and a mandarin**, but in truth, it’s quite typical. With Andy Burnham as the Prime Minister of the UK, roles in Whitehall have been shuffled, scattering responsibilities for science, technology, and government tech across numerous departments and eliminating the dedicated role for a technology minister.
Demanding Clarity
After the reshuffle in July, Dame Chi Onwurah, chair of the House of Commons Science, Innovation, and Technology Committee, called for clarification. Unfortunately, the government appeared murky regarding new responsibilities. A joint letter from three ministers attempts to provide clarity, inadvertently exposing the government’s disjointed thinking and waning credibility.
Exploring Space and Beyond
Consider space, for example. The letter highlights BIST’s objective to assist firms from groundbreaking concepts to commercialization, scaling, and exportation. However, when it comes to actual space, responsibility lies with Baroness Lloyd of Effra. With a background in law and history, she’s combining space duties along with cyber and regulatory reforms, among other tasks. She will manage these responsibilities within the Department for Business, Innovation, Science, and Trade (BIST) and the Department for Digital, Culture, Media, and Sport (DCMS).
The £7.8 Billion Inquiry
This role presumably allows her to supervise the £7.8 billion cross-government space strategy, covering orbital collision notifications and space science. Yet, the pressing inquiry remains: where is the technology? Isn’t space supposed to connect with tech?
Digital is Ubiquitous, or Is It?
Technology used to reside in the Department for Science, Innovation, and Technology. Now, the T stands for Trade, while the D in DSIT has vanished. In DCMS, it denotes Digital. But what constitutes digital? It underlies everything today. Allegedly, DCMS’s broadened scope includes digital skills, infrastructure, cyber security, and contemporary digital government delivery. They claim to be at the forefront of transforming public services.
Detached Dynamics
But why is the tech sector separated from science? If digital encompasses everything, it’s puzzlingly unclear. Is it genuinely closer to culture and media? A photographer may utilize Photoshop, but they aren’t programming it. The development of computer hardware and software has always been linked to wider research. Consider the World Wide Web and DeepMind, emerging from university initiatives, let alone the Manchester Mark 1 computer.
Dispersed Across Departments
Adding to the uncertainty, Kanishka Narayan handles the AI Minister position straddling the Cabinet Office and BIST, with attendance at Cabinet meetings. Now, science and technology are fragmented across four departments. Chris McDonald operates between BIST and the Department of Health and Social Care, connecting science to business and trade. Meanwhile, digital is paired with “creative industries” and sports. Digital government, tossed about like a hot potato, ends up with a junior minister in DCMS, Stephanie Peacock.
Too Many Balls in the Air?
Peacock is balancing tech with sports, tourism, and the elusive “place.” Can she confront major tech providers siphoning government funds? Her public remarks have revolved more around Blackpool vacations than actual digital government advancements.
Technology, Present Yet Absent
The ministers’ letter asserts that the UK stands at a pivotal moment, needing direction in AI, science, and technology. Thus, science and tech are not separate matters; they are top priorities that span the government. However, rather than unifying efforts, the government has fragmented the tech sector and dispersed its responsibilities where they’ll compete for focus. As for tech in the public sector, don’t expect the government to rein in suppliers anytime soon.
Final Thoughts
So, will this government restructuring position Britain as a tech frontrunner? I’ll believe it when GadgetLad becomes my main job. For now, it’s a matter of patience.
* Special Advisor in the British civil service
** slang term for a senior UK civil servant
