Government "playing catch-up" on Digital Britain

Brown : "We can't leave this to chance."

The government has admitted it is "playing catch-up" with its digital strategy.

Andy Burnham, minister at the Department for Culture, Media and Sport, told delegates at the Digital Britain Summit in London that the Digital Britain plan, published in draft in January, had received "tough scrutiny".

"Today is about testing the developed ideas. The UK needs fast broadband for industry and individuals, digital rights for creative industry, and to improve digital literacy in schools and beyond," said Burnham.

"The Digital Britain process is a two- to three-year one compressed into months – that's challenging," he said.

"We're playing catch-up with our digital responsibilities."

Prime minister Gordon Brown spoke after Burnham and outlined the general principles behind Digital Britain.

"The digital future of the UK is a complete departure from what has gone on before. We can use the downturn to build the necessary technological infrastructure we need for the future," he said.

Brown said the digital network would become the backbone of the UK's economy, and that the government must not leave this to chance.

"We must invest in infrastructure, not cut in these trouble times," he said.

For UK citizens, the prime minister highlighted "universal right to internet access, with universal connectivity a crucial stepping stone to the digital society".

"People are to be given more power over their own lives than ever before," he said.

The final Digital Britain report will be delivered before parliament rises for the summer recess.

Brown and Burnham's comments were taken from an online blog designed to complement a streamed video feed from the summit, which ironically had serious problems throughout the morning and left many viewers unable to follow the speeches.