§ Mr. Clifton-BrownTo ask the Deputy Prime Minister when he will complete his departmental website; what steps is he taking to meet the Government's e-commerce targets; and what his target is for answering correspondence with ministers. [62554]
§ Mr. LeslieFollowing the machinery of government changes, the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister (ODPM) has developed an interim website to ensure ongoing access to the Department's material. The website will be developed further over the next few months.
Our approach to meeting the Government's e-commerce and e-government related objectives is set out in the e-business strategies prepared by the former DTLR and the Cabinet Office, from which the Deputy Prime Minister inherited his responsibilities. The 491W Department is now focusing on delivery of the strategy, a recent example being the planning portal, which will link users of the planning system to a wide range of advice, guidance and services on planning and related topics.
We have also published for consultation a draft national strategy (e.gov @ local: towards a national strategy for local e-government) that seeks to clarify a common and ambitious vision of local e-government. This includes £350 million (over three years from 2001–02) of investment to promote its delivery in local government.
On the ODPM' s targets for answering correspondence, the Cabinet Office, on an annual basis, publishes a report to Parliament on the volume of Members' correspondence received by Departments. For information for 2001, I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave my hon. Friend the Member for Northampton, South (Mr. Clarke) on Friday 24 May 2002. Official Report, columns 674–76W.