E-envoy praises Essex entrepreneurs
The Government's e-envoy Alex Allan praised Essex entrepreneurs as he spoke about the Government's aim to provide a 'light-touch regulatory and tax framework within which electronic markets can operate'.
The Government's e-envoy, Alex Allan, has praised firms in Essex and the Eastern region of the UK for being at the forefront in grasping opportunities presented by the internet revolution.
Speaking at a conference in Chelmsford on Monday (March 14), Mr Allan said companies in the Eastern region were the most likely in the UK to purchase online (48 per cent).
He said:
"The internet offers vast opportunities for business and it is encouraging to see many firms in Essex and across Britain making the most of these.
"The region is already showing it has the initiative for e-commerce to thrive. We want this to continue and for all local business to realise the huge potential technology like the internet offers, both locally and further afield.
"Our aim is for Britain to become the best place in the world to trade electronically. We are committed to supporting business in the Eastern region of the UK by providing the right frameworks."
The Government believes it has a key role in three main areas. These are:
* providing a light-touch regulatory and tax framework within which electronic markets can operate;
* nurturing confident people and businesses, who are aware of the opportunities available to them in the information age, and are not nervous about taking advantage of them; and
* building information age government, that can act as an exemplar for the rest of the economy.
Alex Allan added: "We also want to avoid what the Prime Minister last week referred to as the Digital Divide - a concept already well known in the USA. We do not want to see the internet as something purely for the middle classes or for the young, or for only certain UK businesses. The Prime Minister's target is 100% access by 2005. That is for two reasons - to improve our competitiveness and to reduce social exclusion."
He claimed that companies in Essex will join businesses nationwide in benefiting from a number of new developments helping the growth of e-commerce in Britain. These include:
* competition to reduce the cost of internet access. The industry has responded at great speed with a number of companies announcing new packages last week;
* working with industry. In February, the launch of Trust UK to e-commerce businesses took place. This Government-backed venture between the Alliance for Electronic Business and Consumers' Association seeks to build consumer trust and confidence in internet trading through accreditation of on-line codes of practice; and
* backing business. In February, the Department of Trade and
Industry launched the latest phase of its £3 million Information Society Initiative (ISI) marketing programme. This informs small businesses of the advice available on Information and Communications Technologies.