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Troubleshooter drafted in for Universal Credit pilots
Financial Times reports that one of Whitehall’s most powerful troubleshooters has been drafted in to keep the Universal Credit project on track. David Pitchford, executive director of the Major Projects Authority, will on Monday take the helm of the scheme, which is thought to be on the government’s “watch list” of potentially risky enterprises.
They report that officials strongly deny that the appointment of Mr Pitchford suggested the project was in trouble (despite the MPA having the powers to intervene if necessary). The four pathfinder pilots will start on time in April and an initial national rollout will also take place as planned in October, they said. Doubts remain, though, as to whether the technology underpinning the real-time reporting of income will be robust and reliable.
For the whole article, see Troubleshooter to drive welfare reform (you may need to register)
Also confirmed by kable governement computing -
http://central-government.governmentcomputing.com/news/pitchford-takes-on-universal-credit-role
Decription of Universal Credit from the FT article “Intended to ensure it will pay claimants to work for even a few hours a week”. Tee hee hee.
I love this quote, from the Independent on this story.
“What we need is for the DWP to get a grip off this and that is what David will ensure,” said one Government source. “The Americans put a man on the moon in 10 years so it should be possible to start rolling out universal credit in three.”
Here’s a link to the Independent story that Martin highlights contains some comedy gold quoting from an unnamed government source.
One would have thought that if the UC flagship project was going to plan IDS/DWP would be very keen to crow about it and demonstrate to all and sundry how the ‘digital’ system will work in practice.
Has anyone seen a demonstration of the ‘on line’ claim / claim management / real time HMRC link process yet?
I wonder if the ‘contingency plans’ include DWP staff being able to do UC calculations ‘by hand’ on the back of (several per claim) envelopes?
We should remember that the USA got men to the moon on the back of some very ‘by the skin of their pants’ technology including computers with less computing power than a mobile phone - remember Apollo 13 (Hey, what a catchy nickname for UC/IDS).
We should remember that the USA got men to the moon on the back of some very ‘by the skin of their pants’ technology including computers with less computing power than a mobile phone - remember Apollo 13 (Hey, what a catchy nickname for UC/IDS).
Come off it Peter.
Think positive.
Your Russians also managed to get a dog in space (ok it died).
Come to think about it….
Even, Pyonygyang can get their missile into orbit, so surely, surely we Brits can bring in UC one year early, and under budget.
Just admit it. I am right on this one.
Just admit it. I am right on this one.
As are the conspiracy theorists who claim the Americans never landed on the Moon?
Further reports say that David Pitchford has also taken over Universal Credit Project Director post and that Hilary Reynolds, who held that position, has left the Universal Credit team -
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2013/03/11/universal_credit_project_director_hilary_reynolds_replaced/