The Government is to shut down its award-winning open.gov.uk Web portal - best described as the front door to Britain's e-government services - in July.

News of the closure was published on a small, rather amateurish notice on the portal earlier this week advising users that the service will be "gradually withdrawn over then next few months and cease to be available from 1st July 2001".

Government spin merchants were left scratching thier heads and unaware of the closure when El Reg did its civic duty and called to find out more.

However, after much to-ing and fro-ing, we now know that open.gov.uk's slow, lingering death will be managed by they Office of the E-Envoy and the Office of Government Commerce - which answers to HM's Treasury.

And that the reason for its demise, so we're told, is duplication now that the Government's e-government services can be accessed via its UK Online portal - or so they tell us. Mmmmmmm. ®