§ Mr. Gryllsasked the Secretary of State for Industry if he will list in the Official Report a summary of the main recommendations of the report from the Sector Working Party Paper on the computer industry listing the preliminary recommendations submitted to date, together with the action taken so far.
Mr. Alan WilliamsThe first report of the Computer Sector Working Party has already been placed in the Library of the House. The report discussed the main short term constraints on the computer industry and the critical issues facing it in the medium term. The working party considered there was a need for action in certain areas; these are listed below, together with an indication of the action taken so far.
Recommendation.—Short-term action is needed to ensure that United Kingdom industry benefits from the increase in demand as the upturn in the economy develops. In particular, the prospect of improving the share of the public sector market held by United Kingdom computer manufacturing companies should be examined.
558WAction.—The working party is holding a series of discussions with the public sector computer users and purchasing agencies.
Recommendation.—The possibility of shortages of test engineers and other skilled staff was recognised. The facts should be established.
Action.—A preliminary joint study was carried out by the National Economic Development Office and the National Computer Centre; a special scheme for training school leavers as computer programmers has been initiated. A manpower sub-group of the sector working party is being formed and will be examining the availability of other skilled staff.
Recommendation.—Among other measures to assist exports, British colleges of technology or technical centres should be set up in areas of high export potential.
Action.—To be examined further by the marketing sub-group of the Working Party.
Recommendation.—In view of the rapid rate of growth of imports, consideration should be given to the degrees to which suppliers of computer equipment and components currently imported should be encouraged to establish a United Kingdom base for manufacture and R and D, or to extend their current United Kingdom operations.
Action.—This is being examined by a subgroup of the working party on the role of the foreign-owned companies in the United Kingdom.
Recommendation.—The commercial application of defence R and D should be exploited more quickly.
Action.—The working party is in contact with the Computer, Systems and Electronics Requirements Board, and, through it, with the Ministry of Defence.