Every day we speak to customers about new ways in which IT can help save them money and boost efficiency. Well, now it seems the government may be taking a leaf from our book too.
A new study by independent think tank, Policy Exchange, says that Westminster could save up to £24 billion a year by 2020, simply by using technology more effectively.
The report urged the cabinet-designate to make technology a priority after the upcoming general election. It sets out a series of goals that it said the government should aspire to – creating a digitally skilled and connected society, making Britain an attractive proposition for technology entrepreneurs, and to make the government one of the ‘smartest’ in the world.
Policy Exchange did recognise many of the achievements so far, pointing to .gov.uk and G-Cloud as examples of success, but said that there was still much to be done.
[themecolor]Better use of public data could eliminate tax fraud[/themecolor]
It was also recommended that an ‘information marketplace’ be created, enabling public data to be better utilised.
James Petter, senior vice president and managing director for EMC UK and Ireland, which co-authored the report, said that by putting technology at the heart of its operations, the government could save in excess of £24 billion per year.
“For example real-time data analytics could almost eliminate tax fraud, which in itself is estimated by the HMRC to be in the tens of billions and predictive analytics will easily facilitate early and rapid diagnosis of illnesses, a cost saving that is well beyond that of tax fraud,” Petter told telegraph.co.uk.
While the government is unlikely to action all the recommendations, the report provides a framework for future investment and focuses attention on the potential benefits that technology has to offer.
[themecolor]What’s the potential for your business to work smarter with IT?[/themecolor]
If it’s good enough for the government, it’s good enough for your business. Why not speak to us today about working smarter with IT to help reduce costs and increase productivity.
