New minister for Whitehall IT

Angela Smith, come on down

By Chris Williams • Get more from this author

Posted in Government, 19th October 2009 09:53 GMT

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Junior minister Angela Smith has been handed the government IT brief, with responsibility for security across Whitehall.

She will take over some of the Cabinet Office responsibilities of "digital engagement" minister Tom Watson, who quit the front bench earlier this year.

As well as looking after the information security and assurance brief, the government's chief information officer John Suffolk will report to Smith. She will therefore have responsibility for the "transformational government" strategy, a broad effort to update and outsource the delivery of public services.

Smith previously worked as a government whip and as a junior minister in the Northern Ireland Office. Immediately prior to joining the Cabinet Office she was one of Gordon Brown's parliamentary private secretaries. ®

Correction: This article originally stated Angela Smith of the Cabinet Office had been an aide to Yvette Cooper and been embroiled in the MPs expenses scandal. This was incorrect; there are two Labour MPs called Angela Smith. We regret the error.

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