iPhone apps cost Government thousands

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The Government has admitted to spending a significant amount of money on the development of iPhone applications for various departments.

A Freedom of Information (FOI) request submitted by the BBC revealed between £10,000 and £40,000 had been spent on developing each app, ranging from a job finder gadget to Foreign Office travel advice.

The most expensive app to be unveiled in the request was a Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) app in the making. The BBC claimed it was set to cost £40,000 to develop.

The revelation of the costs of these mobile applications comes shortly after the Government announced plans to audit all of its 820 websites.

Francis Maude, minister for the Cabinet Office, said he planned to scrap 75 per cent of the sites, which cost the Government almost £125 million in just one year – 2008 to 2009.

He also put a suspension on the creation of new websites until a report had been formed, unless a new proposal passed a “stringent exceptions process for special cases” and got the go ahead from the newly formed efficiency board – headed up by Maude and Chief Secretary to the Treasury Danny Alexander.

We contacted the Cabinet Office for comment but it had not responded to our request at the time of publication.

However, a statement issued to the BBC said: "The Government recently announced a freeze on all marketing and advertising spend for this year and this includes iPhone applications."

"Future spend on iPhone development will be subject to strict controls. Only essential activity, approved by the Efficiency [board]... will be allowed."

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