Minister hails high-tech schemes

Softly softly catchee monkeys

A government-backed event to promote IT has highlighted light-touch regulation, investment, and collaboration with industry as vital elements for the future success of the UK economy.

Addressing September’s i2010 event in London, industry and the regions minister Alun Michael said, "The i2010 strategy is our blueprint to make Europe the most competitive and knowledge-based economy in the world by 2010. We must lift our game."

Michael said that to help businesses flourish and consumers to benefit from increasing use of IT, there should be speedier development of open markets as well as better protection for consumers and communities.

"Light-touch regulation and carefully targeted enforcement [are also required]," Michael added.

In a report presented at the event, IT trade body Intellect criticised " overly complicated" regulations. It argued that without better co-ordination for the i2010 plan, it would be difficult to make the initiative work. "Intellect's support for i2010 is tempered by a concern that only lip service is paid to the need for policy convergence," the report warned.

Michael said the government will ensure that new regulatory proposals do not inhibit business. And he called on companies to work with government to anticipate problems with IT systems and solutions to remove shortcomings at the design stage so remedies are less likely to be required later.

In line with these plans, encryption software specialist BeCrypt last week became the first UK company to receive accreditation under the government's new software assurance programme. The CSIA's Claims Tested Mark scheme has been developed to give purchasers confidence in the IT products they buy.

Last week also saw the launch of the Networked European Software and Services Initiative (Nessi). The venture will see technology vendors such as BT, Nokia and SAP working together to encourage the development of common software and service-oriented architectures.

EU commissioner Viviane Reding welcomed Nessi's plans to develop a common services platform. "This has the potential to strengthen Europe's competitiveness in many economic sectors, and is another very practical step in implementing our i2010 policy," Reding commented.