The department patted itself on its collective back for the hard work bringing the UK second only to the US as a top place to do ecommerce, according to an 'independent benchmarking report', having two thirds of government services online and that 96 per cent of the British populace knew where the nearest place they could get on the Internet was. Patricia Hewitt, Trade and Industry Secretary and E-Minister, said: 'Today's report shows that we have made substantial progress over the last four years in extending the benefits of the Internet to everyone who wants access to it.'
'While it is great news that so many people have access to the Internet, we must continue to bridge the digital divide. The Digital Inclusion Panel will play a key role in helping us ensure that every home in the UK should have a connection to online services through a digital network by 2008.'
Now there's a real goal. 2008. No doubt the Government has serious designs on achieving it. The shiny new Digital Inclusion Panel will advise the Government on how to connect people that have yet to see the benefits the Internet can bring. Furthermore, it has created the post of Head of e-Government to push ahead the efficient delivery of public services through IT.
The goal is then to have the public services available online that will make access to the Internet worthwhile for those that have yet to use it.
Yet although the Government lays claim to having delivered two-thirds of public services online, it has been much-maligned for the way it has been done. In November 2002, the Interactive Bureau Web Design Agency looked at the services already online which it described as: 'masses of material, full of unexplained jargon and convoluted incomprehensible English has simply been dumped into official Web sites.' It concluded that three in four Government websites were unsatisfactory.
A year ago, Steven Marsh, director of security at the Office of the e-Envoy admitted that there are 'huge obstacles to overcome' before all services go online. Even in December 2002, the Government claimed 70 per cent of its services were online. Where's the progress? The reason would seem to be that only those services that are easier to put online have been targetted. Marsh said at the time: 'We've only taken the low-hanging fruit - some so low you could trip over them.'
Next, take the latest National Statistics figures: 12mn households online as of July this year looks good. But behind that lies 39 per cent of adults which have never used the Internet. And 23 per cent of adults describe themselves thus: 'I have not really considered using the Internet before and I am not likely to in the future'.
More national statistics figures reveal that as of April of this year, that of the 10 per cent of the UK population with the lowest income, just 12 per cent had Net access, the next 10 per cent up had just 14 per cent with Net access.
How do you convince these people of the value of the Internet, short of giving them a computer or digital telly and a free subscription with an ISP?
The Government rightly recognises the most important issues it must address with regard to getting the UK online. It plans to have all its services online by 2005, and now it wants everyone online 2008. It's giving itself targets it is likely to trip up on.
You can read the full report online.
Quelle: PC Pro, 15.12.2003
