§ Mr. David AtkinsonTo ask the President of the Board of Trade what steps he is taking to monitor and assess the United Kingdom's progress towards the information society relative to other countries. [870]
§ Mr. Ian TaylorThe Department of Trade and Industry commissioned Spectrum Strategy Consultants, as part of the information society initiative, to undertake a pilot exercise to determine how to measure the UK's progress towards the information society. The aims of the study were to examine a range of possible indicators, to determine their significance and provisionally to measure the performance of nine countries—UK, Germany, France, Sweden, USA, Canada, Australia, Japan and Singapore. A report, "The Development of the Information Society: an International Analysis", was published on 28 August 1996 by HMSO, ISBN 0-11-515424-8. An executive summary was also produced and is available on the Internet (http//:www.isi.gov.uk/dotis/index.htm/) or by ringing the ISI info line (0345 15 2000), or by e-mail (info©isi.gov.uk).
I have placed copies of the report and the executive summary in the Library of the House.