Labour wins race to lead UK, but few would envy the load in its tech in-tray
Analysis The United Kingdom woke up to the prospect of a new government this morning, but it faces old problems in tech projects, policy, and investment.
In policy, there are the challenges following Brexit including how to adapt data protection law, while there are new problems in how – indeed, whether – to create laws addressing the looming revolution AI. In investment, the UK has grand ambitions to become a world leader. In central government IT, the projects are too numerous to mention. But there are red flags to watch out for – some of them literally highlighted by Whitehall's own project watchdog.
Starting with where your money goes, tax collector HMRC is facing a double barrel challenge. In July 2022, it began the hunt for a supplier to support its aging SAP system for tax collection, with the total contract value set at a maximum of £400 million ($511 million). It currently relies on a "highly customised version of the SAP ECC 6.0," which was launched in 2005. SAP is set to end mainstream support for ECC 6.0 in 2027, less than a year after the proposed contract ends. In January 2022, the authority awarded Capgemini a system support contract that runs out at the end of 2024.
HMRC is also looking at a challenging SAP overhaul to support its ERP system including HR and finance. The body is leading a group of Whitehall departments, which includes the Department for Transport (DfT) and Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities (DLUHC) under the umbrella of the so-called Unity program, which has already been awarded a "red" rating by the Infrastructure and Projects Authority (IPA). A red rating means "successful delivery of the project appears to be unachievable." The £500 million ($639 million) procurement has already begun.
