My IT Manifesto: John Higgins
- Posted:
- 17:34 06 Jun 2001
Create a cabinet-level ministry for e-Business and e-Government
Recent developments such as the RIP Act and the Electronic Communications Act have demonstrated the need for the creation of a cabinet-level ICT ministry. While existing ministerial arrangements have served the UK well, it is time to build on these if the UK is to be a global leader in ICT.
Appoint a local government e-Envoy
While central civil government may achieve its targets for delivering 100% of public services electronically by 2005, the CSSA doubts whether the same can be said of local government, which is responsible for most regular transactions with citizens.
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Ensure 95% of the population has access to 10Mbytes/s broadband by the end of the next Parliament
CSSA believes the single most important action for the next government is to get UK organisations online. "Online" no longer means via a low speed, dial up connection, that capability has been met. We must now shift to provide high bandwidth, "always-on" connectivity. An acceptable "access" metric might be that the service is ready for use within four weeks of order; pricing should reflect international benchmark studies and the UK should aim to fall below the Organization for Economic Cooperation & Development average in all cases.
Encourage separate ownership and development of local loop infrastructure
To accelerate access and ensure widespread availability on competitive terms the next government must accelerate the unbundling of the local loop.
Introduce accelerated tax allowances, encouraging UK companies to increase investment in ICT
We urge the next government to promote investment in software by UK through accelerated tax allowances for expenditure by business on software and services, and the expansion of research and development taxation provisions.
Promote the importance of information security to the future of UK plc
Among other measures, the next government should support a programme of information security practices, aimed particularly at small and medium enterprises, and develop an anonymous security incident reporting and analysis programme.
Remove National Insurance tax from unapproved share option schemes
The decision to impose National Insurance on share option schemes falling outside the current government's "approved" schemes imposes, in effect, a discriminatory tax on employees.
Establish a long-term funding plan to ensure hi-tech UK businesses have the resources to expand and partner internationally
Government has a key role in helping companies with cross-border trade and should subscribe to the Ovum Holway Report recommendations.
Introduce a meaningful tax credit to encourage lifelong learning
The phrase "life long learning", so favoured by governments and in policy speeches, needs to be supported by incentives that positively influence the behaviour of people after they complete formal education.
Encourage closer links between government, industry and academia
The UK has a good record in innovation, but a poor one in nurturing inventions so they are commercially developed and brought to market by UK enterprises. Overseas experience shows a key to this transition is the development of close linkages and clusters around academic institutions, government research agencies and business.
