A new ‘Government Digital Service’ is to be formed by merging Directgov with the Cabinet Office Digital Delivery and Digital Engagement Teams, it was announced last month.

The merger is a result of the Martha Lane Fox review of government websites late last year, which recommended that government establish “a new central team in the Cabinet Office in absolute control of the overall user experience across all digital channels, commissioning all government online information from other departments”.

Lane Fox also recommended that the unit should “be tasked with driving a service culture across government which could… challenge any policy and practice that undermines good service design”.

This new organisation will be led by Chris Chant, the government’s digital director, and based in the Cabinet Office as part of its Efficiency and Reform Group, which reports to Cabinet Office minister Francis Maude. 

To date, the Digital Delivery and Digital Engagement teams have been led by two directors, Karen Wheeler and Andrew Stott.

Written by Joshua Chambers