IT and e-business organisations are hoping that Stephen Timms, the
new e-commerce minister, will make a far bigger impact than his
predecessor Douglas Alexander.
Alexander, who was much criticised for his low profile, was moved
to the Cabinet Office following the Government reshuffle yesterday
after the resignation of Transport Minister Stephen Byers.
Timms worked for 15 years in the IT and telecommunications
industry, first for Logica and then for analyst group Ovum, before
his election.
David Roberts, chief executive of the IT directors' organisation
the Infrastructure Forum (Tif), whose members represent more than
100 leading blue-chip UK businesses, demanded action from the new
minister.
"A quick measure of the new minister will be what he does to
stimulate the uptake of broadband," said Roberts. "The very large
companies that are the principal members of Tif are not directly
affected but the smaller businesses that make up their supply
chain, product development, sales and distribution channels have
been throttled," he said.
Roger Till, a director, of the e-commerce lobbying organisation
e-centre, said: "We need a Minister who can take a clear strategic
view of e-commerce and bring some sense to the rather piecemeal
approach coming from the European Commission."
Sally Low, senior policy advisor for e-commerce at the British
Chambers of Commerce (BCC), said Timms had a lot to do to realise
Tony Blair's aim of making Britain the best place in the world for
e-business.
The BCC wants the Government to get the physical and political
infrastructure right for e-commerce, said Low. That means driving
up broadband uptake. In addition she called on government to
"tackle the barriers to the uptake of e-commerce, including getting
the right regulatory framework, take measures to encourage
investment and give businesses access to the skills and advice they
need".