§ Mr. Stephen O'BrienTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what specific initiatives her Department is sponsoring to promote effective use of information and communication technology. [153570]
§ Mr. TimmsIn recent years, DTI has been promoting the effective use of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) through the UK online for business programme.
Specific initiatives under this programme include:
a national network of e-business advisers, located in the Business Linksproduction of a wide range of impartial, jargon-free information available on-and off-linea comprehensive website, offering advice and examples of best practiceAs a result of a decision to restructure business support within DTI, the activities of UK online for business will increasingly be integrated into the wider interests of the Department and the Business Link 1217W Organisation. The decision to restructure has been a direct response to feedback from stakeholders and the aim will be to rationalise the wide range of schemes run by the Department into a small number of coherent and focused products.
The strategy for DTI, in partnership with industry, will be to underline the business benefits that can be achieved through more effective, sophisticated use of ICT. Businesses need to become better users of the technologies, addressing issues relating to people and processes as well as the technology itself.
§ Mr. Stephen O'BrienTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what initiatives her Department is sponsoring to encourage internet connections among micro and small businesses. [153571]
§ Mr. TimmsRecent evidence shows, particularly in the DTI's International Benchmarking Study 2003, that there has now been an end to the "dash for access". Broadly speaking, businesses that want internet connection have got it and the dynamics are now around speed and type of access. The key issue for business is how it can unlock real value from the smarter deployment of ICT.
As there is still scope for greater numbers of micro and small businesses to become connected to the internet, DTI will continue to promote internet connection as part of the support and advice it gives to SMEs. However, the main focus will be to encourage a more effective, integrated use of ICT so that businesses can exploit the technology fully and gain the full set of benefits that it can bring.
A copy of the International Benchmarking Study 2003: Business in the Information Age is available in the Libraries of the House—URN 03/147.
§ Mr. Stephen O'BrienTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what her budget in 2003–04 is for the promotion of internet use among micro and small businesses. [153573]
§ Mr. TimmsThe expenditure for 2003–04 for the UK online for business programme, which promotes internet and ICT use by SMEs, is forecast to be £7 million.