The public sector is the biggest buyer of technology in the UK, and often also the most controversial. With major programmes such as identity cards, NHS IT, e-Borders and many others, the government's IT plans are rarely out of the headlines. we look back on the top public sector IT stories of 2007.

Click on the headlines to read the full story.

January

Local government IT recruitment boom is over

The boom in IT recruitment in local authorities is over, as budgets stabilise following five years of investment in egovernment, according to new research.

The study by user group Socitm, IT Trends in Local Government 2006/7, is based on a survey of 475 UK authorities and examines how the move to delivering online public services has affected council's abilities to sustain a state of change and modernisation.

The report says IT recruitment, which had been growing steadily in the local authority sector, has now stabilised due to shrinking budgets.

Identity cards pave way for Whitehall IT sharing

Plans for the identity card scheme to be built using existing government databases will be a trailblazer for shared services, according to Whitehall chief information officer John Suffolk.

Speaking at the publication of his office’s Transformational Government (TG) annual report this week, Suffolk said there is a growing realisation of the value of cross-departmental sharing of IT.

Blair denies plans for super database

Prime Minister Tony Bair has denied that government plans to make more intelligent use of information held by departments will create a Big Brother 'super database' that poses a threat to privacy and civil liberties.

Plans to share information across Whitehall are 'perfectly sensible' and opposition to them is based on a misrepresentation of what is proposed, claims the PM.

Fire IT project fears reignited

Concerns about the cost of government plans to establish regional fire service control rooms and a national radio network have resurfaced just before the technology contract is signed.

The IT deal for FiReControl, the proposed rationalisation of 46 local offices into nine district centres, is expected to be signed this month. The £350m Firelink radio network deal, awarded to O2 Airwave in March, is now being rolled out.

Government seeking new biometric immigration powers

The government is seeking powers to take biometric data from immigrants for inclusion in next-generation visas.

The UK Borders Bill published last week includes measures stipulating that foreign nationals coming to live in the UK must supply fingerprints or iris scans for inclusion in their immigration documents.

February

Fire IT project sparks delay

The £350m national radio network for the fire service has missed its first deadline and supplier O2 Airwave may be fined.

The contract for the tetra-based Firelink system was finally signed in March last year, almost two years later than first planned.

And according to a regional management board report from Yorkshire and Humberside Fire Authority, implementation is already behind schedule.

Whitehall creates review group

Plans for a Treasury-led project review group will give more muscle to the Gateway process that evaluates government IT programmes at key stages of their development.

The Major Projects Review Group (MPRG) is being created as part of an overhaul of Whitehall’s central buying agency the Office of Government Commerce (OGC). It will augment the agency’s five-stage traffic light rating scheme, which does not have the power to stop ailing projects.

Councils urged to back standard for smartcards

London authorities are being urged to adopt a common standard for the introduction of smartcards, to enable the adoption of a single London-wide card.

London Connects, which works with councils, health authorities, emergency services and education bodies to develop e-government services, last week launched a vision for smartcards to allow citizens access to council services.