EURIM e-STRATEGY GROUP
A New Strategic Framework for e-Government
The Modernising Government White Paper (1999) and the Strategic Framework for e-Government (2000) set clear visions for transforming government and providing modern internet-enabled public services focused on the needs of the customer. Since then a great deal of water has flowed under the bridge: departments and local authorities are implementing e-business strategies, many on-line services are up and running, many components of the national infrastructure are in place, and the e-delivery landscape has become considerably more complicated.  At the same time much remains to be done, in particular improving take-up of e-services, providing functions that are genuinely joined-up and customer-focused, and - critically - genuinely transforming the heart of government and the way it works.  This might be summarised as moving from internet-enabled services to internet-transformed government, by which the radical and challenging reforms of the original MG ideals are actually delivered. But who is charged with delivering this agenda and who has the authority to do so?  Who is responsible for providing the various components of infrastructure and core/common services? How is duplication to be avoided so that funds are invested in the most cost efficient manner?  What exactly is the relationship between the Centre, the departments and agencies, and Local Authorities in terms of who does what? There is an urgent need for the strategic vision to be re-stated and the roles of various authorities, departments and agencies to be clarified so that all participants can once again have a clear view of the whole picture. EURIM, with its unique ability to bring together decision makers from business, parliament and the civil services is in an excellent position to inform debate in this area.
The e-Strategy Group
The e-Strategy Group is a new sub-group of EURIM’s Modernising Government working party. The group membership includes parliamentarians, civil servants and observers from DTI, OeE, OGC and NAO, corporates, small firms, trade associations and professional bodies and represents a wide range of expertise on many aspects of the modernising government agenda. The group is chaired by Jonathan Tamblyn of LogicaCMG. The group’s parliamentary sponsor is Brian White, MP for Milton Keynes North East.
Group Objectives
To bring together officials, parliamentarians and suppliers to take stock of the achievements of the modernising government programme to date, and in the light of this, to update the 1999 strategy so there is a coherent, strategic framework extending beyond 2005 to enable a continued, coordinated programme of delivery.
Group Terms of Reference
The group terms of reference are to: · Encourage government to re-focus the 2005 targets to give more direction to departments and local government, stress the need for improved functionality (particularly spanning more than one department) rather than provision of the same services online, and provide guidance on handling failure. · Ask government to revise its strategy to produce a current strategic framework that takes account of changes since 2000.
Progress on objectives
Initial objectives were to run a scoping exercise to see how a new Strategic Framework for e-Government might be developed, and support from the EURIM membership was strong. However, at a meeting held with Douglas Alexander, the e-Minister, to identify the political priorities he maintained that the Government’s e-agenda was clear, that it was now embedded in processes and that there was no need for an exercise of this nature. The group put activity on hold during the summer and is now waiting for the current debate over the future of the OeE to be resolved, before deciding forward activity. The proposed reorganisation of the OeE, with its implications for the future direction of the UK’s e-government programme and its oversight arrangements, may change the context for the way forward for e-government. Once this landscape is clear again, the group will reconvene.
Group Outputs to date
Date	Type of Output
1 April 2003	Minutes	Minutes of the scoping meeting on the need for a new strategic framework for e-Government
Work in Progress
Work suspended until OeE reorganisation complete.
Back to Home