§ Mrs. MayTo ask the President of the Board of Trade what data her Department collects on activity on the Internet. [9444]
§ Mrs. Roche[holding answer 18 July 1997]: The Department of Trade and Industry subscribes to a number of proprietary studies and surveys of Internet activity. In addition, under the Government's IT for All initiative, run by the Department, two surveys of attitudes towards and usage of the Internet have been conducted. The first of these was published in December 1996 and the second will be published later this year. Also as part of a recent international benchmarking study, commissioned by the Department from Spectrum Strategy Consultants, the NOP research group collected information on, among other things, Internet activity in five countries—UK, USA, Japan, Germany and France. This study will be published by the end of this month. I will ensure that copies of the second IT for All survey and the international benchmarking study are placed in the Library of the House.