§ The Earl of Northeskasked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether the figures from the World Economic Forum's Global Information Technology Report, which show that the United Kingdom is fifth in the rankings in scientific research but thirty-seventh in the availability of scientists and engineers, are satisfactory; and what implications this has for their information technology targets. [HL372]
§ The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department of Trade and Industry (Lord Sainsbury of Turville)The Government recognise the critical importance of having highly trained scientists and engineers to help meet their information technology targets. The 2002 spending review settlement saw £100 million per year added to the science budget, from 2005–06, to implement the key recommendations of the Sir Gareth Roberts review of the supply of scientists and engineers. This money will create 1,000 new academic fellowships, substantially increase postdoctoral salaries and improve the training
40WA
Current legislation for the natures of claim tabulated in the Employment Tribunals Service annual report for 2002–03 Nature of Claim Curent Legistation Commencement Date Unfair dismissal Employment Rights Act 1996 Section 111 22/8/96 Wages Act Employment Rights Act 1996 Section 23 22/8/96 Breach of contract Employment Tribunals Extension of Jurisdiction (England and Wales) Order 1994 SI 1623 and Employment Tribunals Extension of Jurisdiction (Scotland) Order 1994 SI 1624 12/7/94 Sex discrimination Sex Discrimination Act 1975 Section 63 12/11/75 Redundancy pay Employment Rights Act 1996 Sections 163–164 22/8/96 Working time directive Working Time Regulations 1998 1/10/98 Disability discrimination Equal pay Disability Discrimination Act 1995 Section 8 8/11/95 Race discrimination Race Relations Act 1976 Sections 54 and 64 13/6/77 Redundancy—failure to inform and consult Trade Union and Labour Relations (Consolidation) Act 1992 Section 189 16/10/92 Written statement of terms and conditions Employment Rights Act 1996 Section 11 22/8/96 Written statement of reasons for dismissal Employment Rights Act 1996 Section 93 22/8/96 Unfair dismissal—transfer of an undertaking Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment) Regulations 1981 1/5/82 Written pay statement Employment Rights Act 1996 Section 11 22/8/96 Transfer of an undertaking—failure to inform and consult Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment) Regulations 1981 1/2/82 Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment) Regulations 1981 1/11/99 Regulation 10a Unfair dismissal—pregnancy Employment Rights Act 1996 Section 111 15/12/99 National minimum wage National Minimum Wage Regulations 1999 1/4/99 National Minimum Wage Act 1998 Section 24 1/4/99 Part-time workers regulations Part Time Worker (Prevention of Less Favourable Treatment) Regulations 2000 1/7/2000 opportunities available to postdoctoral researchers. Additionally, the UK research base has a strong relative international performance in terms of achievement, productivity and efficiency. On many indicators, we rank second only to the USA in the world.
The Government are aware of the challenge in making the UK a world leader in the use of ICT. By learning from the overall pool of evidence, to which the World Economic Forum report can contribute, we will continue to develop information technology policies to provide a favourable environment for ICT usage in the UK.