| My thanks to the All Party Group on Libraries (Linda Perham) for hosting this reception and the Chartered Institute of Library and Information Professionals (Sheila Corrall and Bob McKee) for their help in putting this evening together.
It's good to see so many library and information professionals having a chance to meet with MPs.
The information revolution affects every aspect of our work and lives – whether it's economic data informing investment decisions; demographic statistics enabling Government to plan public services; or medical research records, helping doctors and nurses take clinical decisions.
Using information efficiently is a matter of economic and social survival.
Knowledge, and it's spread, is vital to our competitive success. Knowledge drives innovation. New products and processes. Putting us ahead of our competitors.
That is why, at the DTI, we are making our communications and information industries more competitive; improving links between science and industry; encouraging industries to collaborate to compete.
The Financial Times recently quoted a report from the University of California, Berkeley, estimating that humanity had created about 12 exabytes of unique information by 1999, and would double that output by this year. An exabyte is a billion gigabytes - or 50,000 times the contents of the Library of Congress.
As information increases, so do demands on library and information professionals. And so does the need for better training, and continuing professional development.
A recent report by my Department Publishing in the Knowledge Economy, June 2002 shows the UK is the largest market in Europe for online business information, with a 38.9% share. But the industry needs to match the creation of new and innovative content with open and comprehensive standards.
Our digital publishing industry flourishes not just because of our long established print publishing industry, but because of the skills and expertise of our information professionals.
CILIP has a duty under its Royal Charter to ensure that the profession is equipped to meet the information needs of business, science and technology, Government and social agencies.
Through its accreditation of library and information courses; its Chartership scheme; its continuing professional development programmes.
CILIP has been formed following the unification of the Institute of Information Scientists and the Library Association. This move shows how the profession is adapting to the challenges brought about by the development of the knowledge economy.
As MPs, we know that timely access to relevant information is vital for our jobs. Information doesn't manage itself - it takes technology, it also takes people. So may I welcome you again to this event.
I am sure we will all benefit from this opportunity to celebrate the essential role that library and information professionals play in the knowledge economy.
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