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HMRC staff take tablets on trial

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21st Feb 2013
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HMRC has announced it will be trialling “a range” of mobile devices with staff including iPads, tablets and hybrid laptops over the coming months.  

The tax department said it was “looking at areas where [it] can introduce mobile working and paperless meetings” to support new working practices.

“The devices will benefit productivity due to increased mobility and the flexibility of different ways of working,” said an HMRC spokesperson.

HMRC CIO Mark Hall told technology website Computer Weekly that the ultimate number of devices will be 7,000. Hall was unavailable for interview and HMRC would not confirm the figure when asked by AccountingWEB.

He told the magazine: “We are doing a piece with HR at the moment about mobile working and how we can make our VAT inspectors more mobile, for example.”

Hall also said that an initial phase with around 12 executives was taking place, and after reflection of that, they will move “quite quickly”.

There are no projections as to what the technology upgrade might cost, as HMRC refused to be drawn on this.

“We are currently trialling the use of devices and do not have immediate plans for wider roll out,” the department said in response to our queries.

Securityof sensitive information is just one concern with such devices, but HMRC said it was seeking “expert advice” on this key issue before considering any device or operating system.

Apps being used on the devices include a mixture of existing HMRC and corporate productivity tools. However, each app’s security will have to be taken into consideration.

To date HMRC has relied on standard Windows desktop machines, and Computer Weekly reported that it will up up to the Cabinet Office Efficiency and Reform Group to monitor the strategy and decide whether the tax department progresses beyond these initial experiments with portable technology.

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By carnmores
23rd Feb 2013 13:17

all it needs to do to increase productivity

is to roll out an email service 

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