HC Deb 19 November 1998 vol 319 c882W
Mr. Chidgey

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will introduce measures to promote the growth of electronic commerce, including digital purchases, with particular reference to software, video, audio and intellectual property. [60679]

Mrs. Roche

I will set out my proposals, to make the UK the best environment in the world to trade electronically, in the Competitiveness White Paper to be published shortly.

Mr. Chidgey

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will establish a development corporation to encourage Internet-based trading companies, including those facilitating digital purchases, to locate in the UK. [60678]

Mrs. Roche

The Invest in Britain Bureau—which promotes the whole of the UK as the number one location for inward investment in Europe—is giving special emphasis to identifying key knowledge-driven potential investors from around the world, including Internet technology producers and trading companies. Cisco systems, one of the world's leading Internet technology companies, announced only a few weeks ago that it will set up a new research and design centre in the UK and today announced it is extending its American Networking Academy Programme to the UK to certify schools in computer networking and Internet applications.