Transforming public services and fuelling economic growth through science and technology will be the defining mission of a revamped department under the Secretary of State Peter Kyle, as he takes the first steps towards building a modern digital government.
The Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT) will expand in both scope and size bringing experts in data, digital and AI from the Government Digital Service (GDS) the Central Digital and Data Office (CDDO) and the Incubator for AI (iAI) to unite efforts in the digital transformation of public services under one department.
This move will drive forward the digital changes needed to overhaul the British public’s experience of interacting with the Government, so it becomes personalised, convenient, and timesaving – for example, by providing people with just one way to login and prove who they are so they can quickly access the government services they need. It will also help remove roadblocks to sharing data across the public sector.
This will form part of wider efforts to launch DSIT as the digital centre of government, working closely with the Cabinet Office and the Treasury, to maximise the potential of digital, data and technology to deliver for the British public.
DSIT will become the partner and standard bearer for government departments as it supports them to use technology across areas like energy, health, policing, and education. It will help to upskill civil servants so they are better at using digital and AI in their frontline work, as well as ensure the Government has the right infrastructure and regulation to become more digital.
Secretary of State Peter Kyle said:
Britain will not fully benefit from the social and economic potential of science and technology without government leading by example. So, DSIT is to become the centre for digital expertise and delivery in government, improving how the Government and public services interact with citizens.
We will act as a leader and partner across government, with industry and the research communities, to boost Britain’s economic performance and power up our public services to improve the lives and life chances of people through the application of science and technology.
In addition to driving forward a modern digital government, the Secretary of State will lead DSIT to accelerate innovation, investment and productivity through world-class science and research across the economy, as well as ensure technologies are safely developed and deployed across the country, with the benefits more widely shared.