They may also provide a framework for providers of commercial products to offer complementary services, where appropriate. There are likely to be opportunities for partnerships between private and public sector providers. Portals also offer common services such as authentication and personalisation that can be made available to a number of individual services. This means that once a customer has identified herself or himself to the portal, different online services may not need to request further personal identification. A Scottish government portal will be created, to deliver public services in a convenient, customer-focussed way.
Services are to be grouped around life events rather than organisations.
This will ensure that citizens in Scotland are able to access services which are appropriate and relevant to Scotland. The portal will also include a wide range of services which are not life event based. The Scottish government portal will be closely linked with the UK government portal, UK Online , which is being developed in parallel by the Cabinet Office. Preserving and enhancing choice 4.7 There is a need to preserve customer choice - some customers may be reluctant to accept certain services electronically. It is vital that these customers do not find that they are also disadvantaged by electronic delivery worsening their access to government services.