New EURIM Chairman to lead IT policy implementation?

Brian White MP, the new Chairman of the European Informatics Market (EURIM), has said he will increase his Group's focus on the implementation and delivery of policy designed to tackle e-crime, Modernising Government and Regulation.

EURIM is an all-party, pan-industry group for the politics of the information society. Over the next six months, Mr White says it will concentrate on:

Brian White to tackle e-crime, Modernising Government and Regulation

• e-crime - given greater impetus through expected emergency anti-terrorism legislation following 11 September, which is likely to confer new powers on government and requirements on industry. This topic also covers aspects of personal identity.
• Modernising Government - where EURIM will be following up its three recent papers on actions needed to achieve Government targets and will be commencing new exercises on Interoperability, Programme Management and Social Exclusion.
• Regulating the Information Society - where EURIM's members now hold regular consultation meetings with the Office of Communications team (Ofcom). This topic also includes privacy and data protection issues.

Mr White said: "To clarify the position of the Group's cross-party parliamentary/ industry nature: EURIM doesn't just represent the views of some suppliers, but of all of its members: Parliamentary, trade associations and local and central Government bodies as well. I want to see EURIM become the principal channel for the Information Communications Technology (ICT) sector to shape and disseminate information policy."

Mr White succeeds Ian Bruce, who was MP for Dorset South until the June general election. He is also Honorary Treasurer of EURIM's sister organisation PITCOM, the Parliamentary Information Technology Committee, and Treasurer of the All Party Internet Group.

Labour MP for Milton Keynes North East since 1997, Mr White spent 20 years in IT as a systems analyst with HM Customs & Excise and then Abbey National, until entering Parliament.

EURIM lobbies the Government to promote the provision of cohesive online services and reduce the need for citizens to deal with disjointed departments which do not share information. Its membership includes over 110 MPs, Peers and MEPs from all parties plus over 70 corporate members and not-for-profit and small firms associates.

--

Richard Powell, UKTECH