Building Britain's Digital Future 3/3
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CHAPTER 6: RESEARCH, EDUCATION AND SKILLS FOR DIGITAL BRITAIN
"…Used well, technology strongly develops the study and learning skills children need now and in the future, including the fundamentals of "e-safety"… We must avoid raising a population divided between ICT "haves" and "have nots" because this would pose a considerable threat to both economic wellbeing and social cohesion..." Sir Jim Rose
Further growth in the UK's technology and creative sectors is dependent on research and innovation, and on people with the skills to maximise the opportunities of Digital Britain. There must be continued investment in research to keep pace with technological change and enable new companies to be created. Therefore:
- the Government will invest £120 million over three years through the Digital Economy Programme, in new research and training to prepare the country for the next 20 years of digital evolution
- this includes three new research hubs, to be launched this year with £12 million funding each, to address the core issues facing Digital Britain
- The Technology Strategy Board has assigned an initial budget of £30m to advance Digital Britain-related innovation.
For Digital Britain to realise its full potential it needs enough people with the right skills. The Estelle Morris Review of ICT User Skills is published today. The Government welcome the report’s recommendations, which include:
- Clearer progression routes to IT user qualifications;
- Encouraging more provision of training for IT user qualifications;
- Ensuring skills provision underpins the strategy for digital media literacy
- Working towards a basic digital life skills entitlement scheme for all adults without basic ICT skills to:
- Request up to nine hours to cover a core set of online learning modules
- Approach any learning provider in the scheme and receive support to learn the basic skills they need to get online
- Access a single helpline and website with online learning modules and links to a range of free resources
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To maintain a competitive digital economy our education system we must also inspire the next generation of talent. The report sets out how Government and industry can work better together to bring the vision of Digital Britain to young people; beginning in our primary schools and continuing through Further and Higher Education.
Businesses that do not adopt digital technologies fail to benefit from the productivity and competitiveness benefits they offer. SMEs in particular need targeted support to help them understand the strategic implications of technology and to deploy the skills within their workforce. Therefore BIS, in collaboration with the Regional Development Agencies is investing up to £23m over three years piloting a range of business support interventions to help firms exploit advanced ICT.
Government’s role as both regulator and customer offers a unique opportunity to support investment in innovation and skills. To help address skills issues in the digital sectors, we will now look to make it a requirement that successful bidders for major new Government IT contracts have in place formal training plans for the development of the project team.
CHAPTER 7: DIGITAL SECURITY AND SAFETY
“We have always had the ability to create structures that are quite bewildering to us. A good example is a city. The Internet is more like a city than anything else. In cities there are slums, there are palaces of wisdom, libraries, museums, art galleries, theatres, places of entertainment and shops. And there are places where you would not want to go down dark alleys, let alone have your children do so, but slowly we let our children learn to use the cities and they do.” Stephen Fry - Digital Britain Summit
As we shift from analogue to digital networks, national to global, from standalone media to a converged media world, there are issues around security and safety that must be embraced. With new opportunities come new challenges, and it is right that international, national and domestic policy, regulatory and legal frameworks are adapted to keep pace with these changes.
By its nature, the digital world is one where self-responsibility, self-regulation and self-governance and international cooperation are central. But accepting that, there must still be appropriate safeguards, and structures which will both protect individuals but and mean it works effectively. Before people will be confident using their personal data as online currency, or fully using the internet for financial and retail transactions, they must trust that it is secure.
While its global nature is one of the internet’s great strengths, it also means it is not subject to any clear single jurisdiction. To address the need for guidance and protection for both individual users and national networks, the Government will:
- develop the UK’s role in global internet Government structures
- carry out a major exercise this year to test resilience against a telecommunications emergency
- support industry proposals for voluntary adoption of minimum standards
- consult on penalties that Ofcom is able to impose for contraventions of the Communications Act 2003, particularly relating to persistent misuse cases
- explore the formation of a Tripartite Internet Crime and Security Initiative, bringing parliamentarians, Government and business together
- adopt the PEGI (Pan European Game Information) system as the sole method of classifying video games in the UK, implementing the recommendations of the Byron Review to put all games rated 12 or over on a statutory footing
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CHAPTER 8: THE JOURNEY TO DIGITAL GOVERNMENT
“Businesses are facing up to the real challenges of cutting costs in order to stay in business and emerge stronger form the downturn. The public sector needs to do likewise… so that the Government can continue to invest in excellent public services while maintaining sustainable public finances.” Operational Efficiency Programme: final report, April 2009
The Government’s impact on the digital economy goes way beyond its role as policy maker. In delivering public services, as a large customer of ICT products and services and as the owner of data systems, the public sector has enormous influence on the market. In many areas, such as education, health and defence, Government can use its position as the leading procurer of services, to drive up standards – in some cases to set standards – and to provide an investment framework for research and development.
The Report therefore recommends that:
- to provide single-minded focus and oversee Whitehall-wide systems and standards, the Government Chief Information Officer should approve all significant ICT procurement by Government departments
- Almost half the population access information about Government or local council services online. Significant savings can be made through wider online delivery of public services. Some public services are already being delivered almost exclusively online.
With great benefits available to both the customer and the public purse:
- there are advantages to delivering more public services online. By 2012 there will be a significant increase in digital participation and this will be the trigger for a programme of Digital Switchover of Public Services
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CHAPTER 9: DELIVERING DIGITAL BRITAIN
"A goal without a plan is just a wish." Antoine de Saint-Exupery
Since work on Digital Britain began, there has been extensive consultation, debate and evidence gathering with a broad range of interested parties. The Interim Report prompted almost 300 written responses; over 500 people attended events in London, Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales; the Digital Britain Online Forum has had nearly 20,000 page views; and Ministers and the Digital Britain Team held nearly 500 meetings with people whose expertise and opinions have informed the Final Report.
Today’s Report marks the end of that phase of work, and the first step in delivering the Digital Britain agenda. A series of analytical reports is also published, and a timetable for further consultation. The Report clarifies areas the areas where legislative change is needed. A Bill will be introduced as soon as Parliamentary time allows.
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