Committee launches government IT inquiry

The Public Administration Select Committee has opened an inquiry into the goverment's strategy for developing and implementing its information technology policy.

In a statement on Friday, the committee said it wanted to find out how the government "identifies business needs, the effectiveness of governance arrangements, and procurement policy and practice".

The committee noted that the inquiry was needed due to several factors, including financial constraints, the government's decentralisation agenda and central government's notoriety for "large IT projects running over time, over budget and ultimately failing".

People have been invited to submit written evidence to assist the inquiry — the deadline is 21 January — and evidence sessions will begin in the new year.