The UK accounts for two-thirds of the IT outsourcing by European
Union governments, according to a survey from e-government research
company Kable.
The public sector in Europe spent £36bn a year on computer projects
last year, said Kable researchers, who predicted this amount would
increase by 4.6% per year up to 2002.
Across Europe, the public sector is spending £7.7bn on in-house IT
staff and £1.9bn on outsourcing and managed services. The UK alone
accounts for £1.25bn of this amount.
William Heath, chairman of Kable, said the UK was innovative in
outsourcing government IT. However, "if other governments follow,
then the UK will be seen as an early adopter. If the rest of Europe
does not, then the government will be out on a limb," he
added.
In 2000, European governments spent an average £93 per head a year
on computerising public services. This figure varied from £31 in
Greece and Portugal to £188 in Sweden and Denmark.
Kable predicted that Portugal would show the fastest growth in IT
spending, increasing its investment by 20% between now and 2002.
The lowest growth would be in Sweden, France and Germany.
The fastest growing public sectors for IT spend are set to be
health and education, while the slowest will be defence, added
Kable.
Last June, the European Union agreed to put public information and
services online when they signed the e-Europe Action Plan. EU heads
of government committed themselves to put public data online by the
end of 2002 and to provide generalised electronic access to basic
public services a year later.
Chris Mugan