The Government is creating a new role to oversee digital spend and website resources across the Cabinet Office, HM Treasury and departmental ministers.

The government digital head will oversee all government online spending and take charge of government services portal DirectGov.

The role is part of the government’s continuing effiency review, which saw the rationalisation of its 820 websites, including businesslink.gov.uk and ukti.gov.uk, and a review of its use and costs (nma 1 July 2010).

The site efficiency review aims to halve costs of remaining government websites by moving to common infrastructures.

Efficiency proposals are estimated to cut online spending by 75%, but the job role comes with a £142,000 salary and has already attracted criticism from the public.

Cabinet minister Francis Maude worked with digital entrepreneur Martha Lane-Fox to decide how government websites can be used to put public services online and to increase the number of people who can use the internet, assessing the role of DirectGov.