Digital services at the border
Public Accounts Committee
Closed
Inquiry
The Home Office (HO) has been trying to upgrade or replace legacy IT systems and improve information at UK borders through digital transformation programmes the launch of its e-borders programme in 2003. But in 2010, HO cancelled its contract to deliver a single e-borders system, citing failure to achieve milestones. …
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4
Recommendations
18
Conclusions
1
Report
1
Oral session
4
Letters
1
Event
Activity timeline 7 events
21 Sep
2021
2021
31 Aug
2021
2021
10 Jun
2021
2021
16 Apr
2021
2021
12 Mar
2021
2021
Report published
23 Feb
2021
2021
1 Feb
2021
2021
Oral evidence
Oral evidence sessions 1 session
1 Feb 2021
View on parliament.uk
Digital services at the border
John Gillan · Home Office
Matthew Rycroft CBE · Home Office
Paul Lincoln · Home Office
Reports 1 report · click to expand
| Title | HC No. | Published | Items | Response |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Forty-Eighth Report - Digital Services at the Border | HC 936 | 12 Mar 2021 | 22 | Responded |
Recommendations & Conclusions
10 results
1
Conclusion
Not Addressed
Forty-Eighth Report - Digital Serv…
Based on a report by the Comptroller & Auditor General we took evidence from the...
Based on a report by the Comptroller & Auditor General we took evidence from the Home Office (the Department), including from Border Force, on progress with the Digital Services at the Border (DSAB) programme.1
Government Response
The government provided its own introductory overview of the Digital Services at the Border programme, rather than engaging with the committee's initial descriptive statement about taking evidence.
HM Treasury
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7
Conclusion
Not Addressed
Forty-Eighth Report - Digital Serv…
In a May 2016 Treasury Minute response to this Committee, the Department provided Parliament with...
In a May 2016 Treasury Minute response to this Committee, the Department provided Parliament with assurance over several aspects of DSAB. It committed to delivering Advanced Freight Targeting Capability in 2017 and to rolling out Border Crossing nationally by 2017. …
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Government Response
The government stated it had nothing further to add to previous evidence, providing no new information or commitments regarding its past failures to deliver Advanced Freight Targeting Capability and Border Crossing systems by 2017.
HM Treasury
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8
Conclusion
Not Addressed
Forty-Eighth Report - Digital Serv…
The Department noted that this was part of a wider pattern whereby those involved with...
The Department noted that this was part of a wider pattern whereby those involved with the programme wanted to present a positive direction for the programme to senior management at a time when the programme was struggling in 2017 and …
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Government Response
The government declined to add anything further to its previous evidence, thus not addressing the committee's conclusion regarding failures in transparency and communication about program delays.
HM Treasury
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9
Conclusion
Not Addressed
Forty-Eighth Report - Digital Serv…
The Department suggested that external factors had hindered the programme, noting that new requirements emerged...
The Department suggested that external factors had hindered the programme, noting that new requirements emerged following the EU Exit referendum results in 7 Q 45; C&AG’s report Progress delivering the Emergency Services Network, Session 2017–19, HC 2140, 10 May 2019, …
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Government Response
The government stated it had nothing further to add to previous evidence, providing no new information or commitments regarding the external factors that hindered the Digital Services at the Border programme.
HM Treasury
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10
Conclusion
Not Addressed
Forty-Eighth Report - Digital Serv…
The Department acknowledged that by the time of its reset, the programme had not delivered...
The Department acknowledged that by the time of its reset, the programme had not delivered the value for money that had originally been intended. The Department had delivered none of the three systems that it had intended to deliver on …
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Government Response
The government's response addresses mechanisms for oversight and assurance of delivery and costs incurred from deviations, which is a different recommendation, and does not directly engage with the committee's conclusion about the past failure to deliver value for money.
HM Treasury
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14
Conclusion
Not Addressed
Forty-Eighth Report - Digital Serv…
Some of the technical difficulties involved responding to the external factors that hindered the programme.
Some of the technical difficulties involved responding to the external factors that hindered the programme. For example, the Department created the Future Border and Immigration System (FBIS) programme in response to EU Exit which developed six new interfaces with which …
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Government Response
The government stated it had nothing further to add to previous evidence, providing no new information or commitments regarding the technical difficulties and external factors that led to the programme's eventual reset.
HM Treasury
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16
Conclusion
Not Addressed
Forty-Eighth Report - Digital Serv…
The Department acknowledged that it has faced strong competition for people with the scarce technical...
The Department acknowledged that it has faced strong competition for people with the scarce technical skills required to deliver the programme, including from other government departments. The Department has now designed framework contracts with outside suppliers so that it is …
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Government Response
The government's response details technical improvements to the Border Crossing system, which does not address the committee's conclusion regarding the Department's challenges with scarce technical skills and its strategies for addressing resourcing issues.
HM Treasury
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17
Conclusion
Not Addressed
Forty-Eighth Report - Digital Serv…
The latest roll-out of Border Crossing started on time at the beginning of December
The latest roll-out of Border Crossing started on time at the beginning of December
Government Response
The government's response did not address the committee's observation that the Border Crossing roll-out started on time, instead providing information about setting out programme milestones.
HM Treasury
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18
Conclusion
Not Addressed
Forty-Eighth Report - Digital Serv…
The Department has outlined plans to ensure Border Crossing systems are available at crossing points...
The Department has outlined plans to ensure Border Crossing systems are available at crossing points other than the 56 major entry points which will have permanent access to the system. The Department stated that this will involve a mobile capability …
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Government Response
The government stated it had nothing further to add to previous evidence, providing no new information or commitments regarding the mobile capability for Border Crossing systems at non-major entry points.
HM Treasury
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20
Conclusion
Not Addressed
Forty-Eighth Report - Digital Serv…
For the Department to deliver its planned improvements to border security, it is dependent on...
For the Department to deliver its planned improvements to border security, it is dependent on the quality of the data input into its information systems. This will include new system inputs from European Union countries after Schengen Information System II …
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Government Response
The government's response explicitly addresses a different recommendation (regarding progress against milestones for related programmes and their impacts) and does not engage with the committee's conclusion on the UK's dependency on data quality and upload speed from other countries.
HM Treasury
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Correspondence 4 letters
21 Sep 2021
Correspondence from Matthew Rycroft, Permanent Secretary, Home Office, re Digital Services at the Border (DSAB) Programme Project: update on Infrastructure and Projects Authority (IPA) Gateway 0 Review, dated 14 September 2021
Parliament page
10 Jun 2021
Correspondence from Matthew Rycroft CBE, Permanent Secretary, Home Office, re Recommendation 1 Forty-Eighth report of the 2019-2021 – Digital Services at the Border, dated 3 June 2021
Parliament page
16 Apr 2021
Correspondence from Matthew Rycroft CBE, Permanent Secretary, Home Office, re Digital Service at the border, dated 25 March 2021
Parliament page
23 Feb 2021
Correspondence from Matthew Rycroft CBE, Permanent Secretary, Home Office, re Digital Services at the boarders, dated 12 February 2021
Parliament page