§ The Earl of Northeskasked Her Majesty's Government:
How they respond to the analysis of Nicholas Negroponte, of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology media laboratory, that the developing world will dominate the Internet in the future; and whether this will affect their aim to make the United Kingdom the best place in the world for e-commerce. [HL4669]
§ Lord Sainsbury of TurvilleThe Government consider that the Internet will only realise its economic and social potential for all of us as an accessible, low cost global network for information exchange if there is full participation by developing countries. The Government therefore strongly support work to close this international "digital divide", particularly through the "Dot.force" launched at the recent G8 Summit in Okinawa, which brings together public and private sectors in developing and developed countries. This will be to the mutual benefit of developing and developed countries.