Single government website prototype launched

A single government website prototype has been launched by the Coalition Government, aimed at providing a single place for all central government department information.

Alphagov was recommended by the UK's Digital Champion Martha Lane Fox in her review of government digital services published last year and is available on line for comment for two months.

Prototypes are a normal way that large organisations, test their web services, but this has never before been done in Government.

The prototype currently just contains answers to the top 100 most frequently asked questions in government such as what to do if you lose your passport.

In the long run it will include a whole range of government services such as tax return and car tax applications.

By moving departmental website information into one place, the Government anticipates that it would save over 50 per cent of the ￡130m it spends on internet publishing each year.

Cabinet Office Minister Francis Maude said: "Interacting with the government online is, with a few notable exceptions, lengthy, complicated and generally painful."

"We inherited hundreds of websites all providing separate government services, which cost a lot and make it incredibly difficult to find what you are looking for. We are trying to change this."

Further information:
Cabinet Office