Government's 'eStatMap' website launched

Government e-envoy Alex Allan has launched a new website 'eStatMap' which is intended to provide high quality statistics charting the progress of e-commerce in the UK.

The 'eStatMap' is available at the e-envoy website which includes official government information and a selection of information from private research companies.

Its aim is to gather key e-commerce information about technology and access, use, purpose, impact and readiness in the UK and has been developed in partnership with De Montfort University and BT, with cooperation from many leading market research companies.

Government e-envoy Alex Allan said: "Businesses, public sector organisations and individuals often find it difficult and expensive to access good quality information about the Internet and e-commerce.

"The eStatMap provides everyone with access to high quality statistics in an easy to understand format. Statistics are presented in a clear way, examining the key adoption and use stages that individuals, businesses and government encounter. The website examines the readiness of individuals, businesses and government organisations to get online; the technologies they can use now and in the future; how they use the Internet; the key purposes for use (such as commerce, recreation and education) and the impact of the Internet and e-commerce.

"This format overcomes the problems that arise when e-commerce statistics are presented in isolation, without reference to other stages of the adoption and use process."

The eStatMap concept arose during a large research project undertaken by IECRC, BT and Teleconomy for the e-Envoy's Office in Spring 2000. This project reviewed all the key market research reports about the Internet and e-commerce that had been published by 30 market research companies during the previous 18 months. More than 200 reports and 7,500 pages of hard copy and digital reports were analysed.

There are three primary criteria for selecting information for the eStatMap:

* The quality of data, this is found by examining the robustness and reliability of the methodology used to collect statistics.

* The 'fit' of statistics with the eStatMap measures.

* The timeliness of the data.

This is part of the Government's strategy report 'e-commerce@its.best.uk', published by the Prime Minister in September 1999, to provide the best environment in the world to do e-commerce.

The Government believes it has a key role in three main areas:

* 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 has been appointed as the Government's first e-envoy, reporting directly to the Prime Minister. His role is:

* to galvanise business in the UK to face up to the challenges of e-commerce;

* to provide strategic input into the development of e-Government;

* to promote the UK's e-commerce strategy abroad;

* to ensure that the benefits of e-commerce are spread throughout society; and

* to co-ordinate all the Government actions recommended in the 'e-commerce@its.best.uk' report.

Mr Allan took up this post at the beginning of the year. Previously he had been the British High Commissioner to Australia; PPS to the Prime Minister, a Treasury official and oversaw the launch of the first Number 10 website. The e-forum which 'gives the public and business the opportunity to speak to Government about all e-matters', can be accessed from his site.

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Susie Hughes