(21) Give Cabinet Office funds to test and incubate ideas
The web's developing all the time; so are ideas about how it and public sector information could be used. The Cabinet Office should have a modest fund to continue to test leading-edge ideas and incubate new capabilities and it should co-ordinate work in this area elsewhere in the public sector.
Constant innovation and staying up to speed with new ideas
The Taskforce has done its work and will disband itself if the Minister for Digital Engagement agrees. However we want to ensure that the government continues to stay abreast of the latest developments so that it can serve citizens well in the future. Work by DIUS on innovation confirms the view that special arrangements are required to ensure that large organizations maintain an effective capacity to innovate. The Taskforce wants to ensure that relevant Ministers and the Head of Digital Engagement have an external sounding board and think tank to help them keep abreast of a fast moving field.
The Power of Information work arose in late 2006 from the innovation strand of the Transformational Government programme. It is important that such innovation continues. We would also recommend that curiosity driven, risk taking research continues in the Transformational Government team as the emphasis shifts to implementing the Taskforce’s recommendations.