§ Mr. Wareingasked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what action he proposes to take in response to the NEDO Report "Crisis facing UK Information Technology"; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. PattieThe NEDO report acknowledged the significant programmes of support that this Government656W have established for IT and the success of the many Government initiatives taken. Over the past five years there has been a significant shift in Government resources towards IT but we are not complacent about the problems created by the growth in international competition. We share NEDO's objective of seeking to create a climate in which the UK IT industry will increase its international competitiveness and we shall continue to pursue this objective vigorously.
The Government have already given a full response to NEDO's earlier report "A Policy for the UK Information Technology Industry" and we are considering whether any further action needs to be taken in the light of NEDO's latest report. In particular, we share NEDO's concern about the issue of skill shortages in this industry and have therefore established a committee under the chairmanship of my hon. Friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary to explore the extent of any problems and to propose action to tackle them.
NEDO's report has already been discussed at a meeting of the NEDO Council and also in the course of the debate in this House on 21 June, and I see no need to make a further statement.