§ The Earl of Northeskasked Her Majesty's Government:
How many of the 467 operational local authority websites had achieved fully transactional status allowing two-way interaction on 28 February 2003; 190WA what improvement this represents on the figure of a year ago; and what are the implications of this for their policy of having government services online by 2005. [HL2011]
§ Lord RookerThe results of the latest 2003 survey carried out by the Society of Information Technology Management (SOCITM)Better Connected 2003: a snapshot of local authority websites, show that 10 UK councils now have websites that are rated as "transactional". This compares with four UK council "transactional" websites in 2002. The SOCITM 2003 survey results also show an increase in transactions across UK council websites of over 50 per cent compared with 2002.
The most accurate measure of progress towards the 100 per cent target for local government services online by 31 December 2005 target is the Audit Commission's Best Value Performance Indicator 157 relating to electronic service delivery. The definition of online services for this indicator includes delivery by telephone if the transaction carried out is electronically enabled, i.e. the officer receiving the call can access electronic information and/or update records on-line. The Audit Commission reports that by 31 March 2003 35.4 per cent of local authority services in England were online. BVPI 157 projections compiled by the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister from this year's Implementing Electronic Government returns show that local authorities in England expect to be 49.4 per cent online by 31 March 2003, 71.0 per cent online by 31 March 2004, 89.3 per cent online by 31 March 2005 and 99.8 per cent online by 31 March 2006.