500 government websites face the axe

More than 500 government websites are for the chop as part of a major review of the public sector's online offering.

In a move which the government claimed will "benefit tens of millions of users", only 26 of the websites examined so far in its review are certain to be retained, with at least 551 to go.

Of the 951 websites across 16 central government departments reviewed so far, 90 have already closed and a further 461 are planned to be closed. Of the remaining sites, 374 will be reviewed by June 2007, with the aim of further rationalisation.

Further discussions will take place over the next few months in order to produce detailed implementation plans and extend the review to executive agencies and non-departmental public bodies, the government said.

Useful info from the closed sites will be transferred to the www.direct.gov.uk and www.businesslink.gov.uk websites. The cull is the "natural next step" as the public shifts its interest to 'supersites' such as the Directgov portal, the government said, but minister for transformational government Pat McFadden insisted the quality of the service offered will not be affected by these changes.

The move was revealed in the Transformational Government report published today, highlighting some of the government's technology successes.

For example, Transport for London has saved 30 per cent on its human resources spend in the first year of operating its shared service centre, while the NHS Shared Business Service has saved 108 health trusts an average of 34 per cent of the cost of processing finance transactions through shared finance services. It is on track to deliver savings of more than £220m.

The 'Government IT Profession' initiative - aimed at putting technology advisers on a par with policy, legal, statistical or economic advisers - has also gained 7,000 members since it was launched in July 2005 and offers training, career development and a framework of standards for IT staff.