Digital and data function’s strategic commitments
Published 23 February 2024
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This publication is available at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/digital-and-technology-spend-control-version-6/digital-and-data-functions-strategic-commitments
In June 2022 a roadmap and strategy for Digital, Data and Technology (DDaT) was published. This roadmap sets out a common cross-government vision for 2025 and a set of specific actions to achieve it.
The strategy is divided into 6 missions:
- Transformed public services that achieve the right outcomes
- One login for government
- Better data to power decision making.
- Efficient, secure and sustainable technology.
- Digital skills at scale.
- A system that unlocks digital transformation.
Government organisations have made commitments to align with these missions.
Spend control
You must consider the strategic commitments as part of the Cabinet Office digital and technology spend control process for all digital and technology spend.
If you are submitting a spend request as part of the digital and technology spend Controls, it will be checked against the answers you give to questions on the get approval to spend service.
The questions are designed to test if your proposed spend meets a minimum level of alignment to the strategic commitments.
You will only be asked these questions if the spend is high risk and importance, or if your request has an assurance rating of ‘control’.
Your request could be rejected if it does not meet a strategic commitment. Questions in the get approval to spend service relating to strategic commitments have ‘yes’ or ‘no’ answers.
Answering ‘no’ will not lead to an automatic rejection and you will need to explain why your spend cannot align to the commitment.
Transformed public services that achieve the right outcomes
Provide quarterly service performance data
All public facing services must provide quarterly service performance data to data.gov.uk
Read more about the providing quarterly service performance commitment
Use mandated central services
All government services must use the functionality of mandated central services: GOV.UK Notify and GOV.UK Pay
Read more about the using mandated central services commitment
Use GOV.UK domains and the GOV.UK design system
All public facing services must use a GOV.UK domain, or another public sector domain in line with the GOV.UK Proposition, and use the GOV.UK Design System.
Read more about the using GOV.UK domains and the GOV.UK design system commitment
One Login for Government
Use GOV.UK One Login
All public facing services which require users to prove their identity and login must use GOV.UK One Login.
Read more about the using GOV.UK Login commitment
Better data to power decision making
Make essential shared data assets usable across government
All essential shared data assets (ESDA) must be assessed for data quality issues, made findable and be available through APIs.
Read more about the essential shared data assets commitment
Efficient, secure and sustainable technology
Prevent technical debt and legacy
You must have a legacy-proofing plan for all digital services to prevent the build up of technical debt and future legacy
Read more about the preventing technical debt and legacy commitment
Follow the government cyber security standard
All digital services and technical infrastructure must be built to comply with the Government Cyber Security Standard
Read more about the government cyber security standard commitment
Digital skills at scale
Delivery must be overseen by a named crown or public servant
Delivery will be overseen by a named crown or public servant
Read more about the delivery being overseen by a named crown or public servant commitment
Digital best practice in support of commitments
Separate service integration from service provision
If a supplier has a contract for service provision, it must not also do the service integration for that service.
Read more about the separating service integration from service provision commitment
No automatic contract extensions
Contractual exit plans must be developed as an alternative to extension or evidence provided for why an extension is both legally allowed and value for money
Read more about the no automatic extensions commitment
Meet the requirements of equality and accessibility regulations
All digital or technology activity must be in full compliance with the Public Sector Bodies Accessibility Regulations 2018 and the Equality Act 2010
Read more about the equality and accessibility commitment
Meet the requirements of data privacy regulations
A service must be in compliance with all applicable data privacy regulations including the General Data Protection Regulation and the Data Protection Act 2018