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Universal Credit programme director steps down
picked this up from Disability Rights UK ...
http://www.disabilityrightsuk.org/ucdirectorstepsdown.htm
Malcolm Whitehouse, programme director for the government’s £2.2bn Universal Credit initiative, has stepped down from the role.
The move comes amid speculation that a number of senior figures will also depart from the government’s flagship benefits reform project - sources suggest that up to five senior project leaders and several contractors are to leave the programme.
A DWP press office spokeswoman said Whitehouse’s departure was part of the programme’s move from design phase to implementation. She said the department was aiming to bring in new people with different skill sets.
and from hansard ...
‘Stephen Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many senior civil servants working on the universal credit programme have left the programme in the last three months. [125962]
Mr Hoban: The roles within the programme change as progress is made. In the last three months, one senior civil servant has been assigned elsewhere in the Department as their role on the programme completed.
Stephen Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions who the (a) senior responsible officer and (b) programme director for universal credit were on 1 September 2012; and who will hold those positions on 1 November 2012. [125963]
Mr Hoban: The information is as follows.
(a) Terry Moran and (b) Malcolm Whitehouse on both 1 September 2012 and on 1 November 2012.
With the pathfinder starting in six months, the Universal Credit programme is moving from designing and building the system to its safe delivery in operations. With this change of emphasis, Malcolm Whitehouse, who has brought the programme successfully to this key stage, with plans in place for the April pathfinder, will hand over his role as programme director to Hilary Reynolds on 5 November. Malcolm will work closely with Hilary to ensure a smooth transition.’
Malcolm was the chap who said DWP had never paid anyone their benefits late. Maybe he has a different timetable in many ways.
kable government computing report that Steve Dover, head of IT programmes, also being replaced and that Terry Moran, chief operating officer, is on sick leave -
http://central-government.governmentcomputing.com/news/universal-credit-departures-continue