Scotland Refreshes Digital Strategy and Launches ‘Digital Mailboxes’
The strategy is central to creating a "digitally connected country" to drive economic growth, modernize public services, and ensure inclusive digital access for all Scots.
On November 18 the Scottish Government, in collaboration with local government partners including COSLA and the Digital Office for Scottish Local Government, launched a refreshed National Digital Strategy for Scotland.
This update builds on the original 2021 strategy, responding to rapid technological advancements like AI, increased public service demands, and budget pressures.
The strategy is central to the ambition to build a world leading Scottish Digital Nation, emphasizing creating a “digitally connected country” to drive economic growth, modernize public services, and ensure inclusive digital access for all Scots.
Key Objectives and Vision
The core vision is to build a Scotland where digital technologies empower people, foster opportunities, and deliver “smarter, faster, and fairer” public services. It aligns with the Scottish Government’s Public Service Reform agenda and the National Performance Framework, prioritizing:
- Economic Growth: Harnessing digital tools to boost productivity and innovation.
- Improved Public Services: Shifting from organization-centric to user-centric models, with a focus on sustainability and privacy.
- Inclusion and Equity: Tackling digital exclusion through place-based initiatives, such as expanding internet access in social housing and digital lending libraries for devices and skills training.
Public Finance Minister Ivan McKee described it as a “route map” for collaboration, stating it will “support work to deliver sustainable digital public services fit for the future.” Councillor Katie Hagmann of COSLA echoed this, highlighting the joint ownership and commitment to leaving “no one behind.”
Major Initiatives and Timeline
The strategy includes an expanded action program, detailed in subject-specific delivery plans updated annually for transparency and adaptability. Highlights from the 2025-2028 delivery plan include:
- Personalized Public Services App: An early version launching by early 2026 as a secure, one-stop platform for accessing services like notifications and payments (building on existing infrastructure like ScotPayments and the Scottish Government Cloud).
- AI Efficiency Pilot: By 2028, identify and test AI applications for public services, such as demand prediction, administrative streamlining, and outcome monitoring for preventive interventions. Local government will develop its own AI policy frameworks.
- Cybersecurity Enhancements: Regular sector-wide exercises by 2028, improved threat intelligence sharing, and full implementation of the Scottish Cyber Coordination Centre (SC3) strategic plan by 2027.
- Connectivity and Skills: Ongoing expansions in broadband access and digital skills programs, with progress reports due annually.
The plan stresses joint governance between national and local levels, with measurable outcomes tied to broader reforms.
Digital Mailboxes
Scotland is poised to lead the UK in public service innovation with the launch of a nationwide Digital Mailbox solution in 2026.
Developed by Netcompany in partnership with the Scottish Government, this secure, unified platform will serve as a one-stop digital hub for all official government communications, marking a shift from traditional print and post methods to efficient, citizen-centric digital interactions.
Key Features and Functionality
- Unified Communication: Every Scottish citizen will receive a personal digital mailbox for essential updates, such as benefits notifications, tax information, and service alerts. Users can view, respond to, and act on messages—sharing documents, making payments, and accessing related services—all from one secure interface accessible across devices (mobile, desktop, etc.).
- Integration and Security: The system integrates with Scotland’s national digital identity framework, ensuring GDPR-compliant, two-way communication. It prioritizes data sovereignty by hosting data on Scottish infrastructure where possible, enhancing privacy and trust.
- Accessibility Focus: Designed to bridge the digital divide, it includes provisions for offline users (e.g., parallel paper options) and targets remote or underserved communities to promote inclusivity.
Broader Implications
This model is inspired by Netcompany’s successful implementations in Denmark, where similar digital mailboxes have delivered substantial efficiencies and cost reductions—outcomes Scotland aims to match or surpass.
The Digital Mailbox positions Scotland as a digital pioneer in the UK and Europe, aligning with the refreshed National Digital Strategy’s vision for “smarter, faster, and fairer” services. It sets a potential blueprint for other regions, emphasizing ethical tech adoption, sustainability, and societal value over mere digitization. As one expert noted, this could “transform how governments connect with citizens,” driving long-term economic and social benefits.
