DCMS-Cabinet Office Digital Identity Unit to launch in the coming week

12 Jun 2019 02:59 PM

techUK yesterday welcomed the announcement from Oliver Dowden of specific government actions to 'enable the creation of a ubiquitous digital identity market'.

Following on the launch of the Government Innovation Technology Strategy, the Minister for Implementation, Oliver Dowden MP, set out the government’s next steps towards enabling the creation of a digital identity market.

The Minister for Implementation announced:

• A consultation to be issued in the coming weeks on how to deliver the effective organisation of the digital identity market.
• The creation of a new Digital Identity Unit, which is a collaboration between DCMS and Cabinet Office, to ensure the adoption of interoperable standards, specification and schemes, and deliver on the outcome of the consultation.
• The start of engagement on the commercial framework for consuming digital identities from the private sector for the period from April 2020 to ensure the continued delivery of public services.

Ruth Milligan, techUK’s Head of Financial Services & Payments, yesterday said:

“techUK very much welcomes the announcement from Oliver Dowden of specific government actions to 'enable the creation of a ubiquitous digital identity market', which we hope will span public and private sectors - as advocated in our recent White Paper. We look forward to seeing the consultation and engaging with the Digital Identity Unit. On the commercial framework, techUK believes that a strong governance model and set of interoperable standards is required to ensure that all UK citizens can benefit”.