All central government departments will be required to provide their usage figures for auditing, with ABCe acting as a third-party validator.

Website metrics covered by the audit include unique users/browsers, page impressions, visits and time spent.

Usage stats and user satisfaction measures are then likely to be matched against website costs to gauge how much value for money sites provide.

“We are determined to drive up the quality of government websites to ensure they offer excellent value for money for the taxpayer and a better user experience,” said Alex Butler, the COI board director for interactive services.

COI said the audit is “in part” a response to a Public Accounts Committee request for reliable data on the volume and use of central government sites.