On 21 December the Ministry of Justice launched a 'digital strategy' that is aimed at transforming the way it delivers services. The MoJ says the strategy will help deliver digital services that are easier to use and better value for users and the Government and is a major step towards becoming digital by default.
Announcing the move, the MoJ said: "It will enable us to design our services around the needs of users: whether that's providing victims with more information about their case, allowing individuals and businesses to file claims more easily, or providing tools to help rehabilitate offenders.
"The strategy outlines our programme of digital transformation and identifies 20 actions grouped under four themes that will change the way we do business and help deliver a justice system that is more effective, less costly and more responsive for the public."
The four themes identified are:
• Transforming services
• Transforming the way the ministry works
• Breaking barriers to digital transformation
• Transforming the way the ministry engages
The Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State Chris Grayling said: "What we're doing at the Ministry of Justice is really setting the digital by default approach at the heart of what we do."
To ensure the Civil Service can deliver public services more cheaply and effectively, the Government has embraced a 'digital by default' agenda, set out in the Government Digital Strategy and Civil Service Reform Plan.
Among the services that will be available digitally from April is the application for lasting power of attorney. An online process was proposed last July in a consultation by the Office of the Public Guardian.
At the time the Public Guardian Alan Eccles said: "More and more people are now taking the important decision to apply for lasting powers of attorney and we want to make sure we provide the best possible service for them – one that is simple, straightforward and effective.
"The proposed new online application process will make applying simpler and quicker, while the changes we plan to make in the 'back-office' will make the whole service more efficient."