HMRC Government Gateway Transformation Programme: Accounting Officer assessment summary
Published 18 March 2019
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This publication is available at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/accounting-officer-assessment-summary-for-the-government-gateway-transformation-programme/hmrc-government-gateway-transformation-programme-accounting-officer-assessment-summary
It is normal practice for Accounting Officers to scrutinise significant policy proposals or plans to start or vary major projects, and then assess whether they measure up to the standards set out in Managing Public Money.
From April 2017, the government has committed to make a summary of the key points from these assessments available to Parliament when an Accounting Officer has agreed an assessment of projects within the Government’s Major Projects Portfolio.
Background and context
The pan-government Government Gateway Transformation Programme (GGTP) is an HMRC programme and is key to the government’s digital transformation agenda.
The services it is building intercept many other services, programmes and projects across both HMRC and wider government. I, Sir Jonathan Thompson, as the Chief Executive of HM Revenue and Customs, am the Accounting Officer responsible for GGTP, and this is my assessment.
GGTP provides access to 123 government services, provides credential management, hosts relevant databases and manages defined bulk data transfers of data between government and organisations.
The existing Government Gateway (GG) platform is outdated and not fit for purpose to support digital service transformation across government. It is technically challenging, costly to run and lacks modern features.
For customers, the language is confusing and the customer experience is poor. For these reasons the existing platform must change and be designed to better align to the 18 design principles specified by the Government Digital Service (GDS). The programme objective is to replace the existing GG and deliver a secure platform that will enable ongoing customer driven improvements.
Regularity
The GGTP includes provision of a pan-government service to ensure the continued delivery of major government digital services and security improvement measures. As such, this will involve high level discussions with Cabinet Office (CO) and HM Treasury (HMT). GG was originally developed and initially operated by CO as a shared service to drive take up by government organisations.
The operational and commercial responsibility was transferred to the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) in 2008 as part of a Machinery of Government (MOG) move. The MOG change supported by a statement of principles, transferred GG to HMRC.
A written ministerial statement was laid before Parliament in November 2016 (approved by CO) authorising the transfer of GG from DWP to HMRC.
Propriety
The programme adheres to the HMT and HMRC change framework governance and the GDS service standards, and undertakes the appropriate gates and assessments. It follows HMRC portfolio management arrangements and reporting and its latest business case was approved at Investment and Design Board (IDB) on 6 March 2018.
Value for money
As directed within the change framework, critical success factors are documented as part of the economic case within the programme business case, and appraisal of 4 options has taken place, including a ‘do nothing’ option as set down in HMT’s Green Book.
That options appraisal identified the preferred option for delivery and GGTP offers the highest potential to meet critical success factors and minimise delivery risks for HMRC.
GGTP came to this view following extensive user research, analysis and impacting into the solutions required to be able to deliver required services to time and scope.
This will ensure that cross-government access to digital services is maintained, while significantly improving security and resilience of the system to cyber threats, as well as providing the necessary functionality needed to interact with the HMRC estate.
The lifecycle costs of the preferred option are comprehensively documented in the economic case.
Feasibility
The programme recognises the key delivery challenges that relate to successfully managing a complicated cross-government transformation.
This involves numerous HMRC internal service and business owners, other government departments, IT change and business leads, programme managers and IT suppliers and impacts a huge cross section of external customers who will see changes to the way they access and operate their digital services.
The programme has outlined in this case the strengthening of governance and resources to focus on developing the strong alliances and partnerships needed to mitigate transition and business readiness risks and increase our delivery confidence.
Conclusion
As the Accounting Officer for HMRC I have considered my assessment of GGTP and, on balance, the proposal is value for money and deliverable. I have approved it as of 11 July 2018. I have prepared this summary to set out the key points which informed my decision.
If any of these factors change materially during the lifetime of this programme, I undertake to prepare a revised summary, setting out my assessment of them.
This summary will be published on the GOV.UK. Copies will be deposited in the Library of the House of Commons, and sent to the Comptroller and Auditor General and Treasury Officer of Accounts.
Accounting Officer’s name: Sir Jonathan Thompson, HMRC Chief Executive
Date of signing: 11 July 2018
Signature:
Image showing signature of Sir Jonathan Thompson, HMRC Chief Executive and Accounting Officer