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EUROPEAN COMMUNITY DOCUMENTS
Motion made, and Question put forthwith, pursuant to Standing Order No. 119(9) (European Standing Committees),
Ordered,
That this House takes note of European Community Document No. 5140/98, a Commission White Paper entitled Energy for the Future: Renewable Sources of Energy, the unnumbered Explanatory Memorandum on the Council Resolution on Renewable Sources of Energy submitted by the Department of Trade and Industry on 16th March 1998, and European Community Document No. 13035/97, Annex I (a draft Decision adopting a multiannual framework programme for actions in the energy sector(1998-2002)), Annex IV (a draft Decision adopting a multiannual framework programme for the promotion of renewable energy sources in the Community: ALTENER II (1998-2002)), Annex V (a draft Decision adopting a multiannual programme for the promotion of energy efficiency (1998-2002): SAVE II), and Annex VI (a draft Decision adopting a multiannual programme of technological actions promoting the clean and efficient use of solid fuels: CARNOT (1998-2002)); and supports the Government's view that actions should be taken to promote a greater use of renewable energy within Europe, in line with the principle of subsidiarity, and that measures to promote renewables should be compatible with the need to restrain public expenditure and avoid disproportionate costs for consumers and industry; and supports the Government's view that EU spending programmes with an energy component should, as far as practicable, be brought together in a framework programme to improve co-ordination and transparency.--[Mr. Allen.]
Question agreed to.
That, at the sitting on Wednesday 8th April, the Speaker shall not adjourn the House until she shall have notified the Royal Assent to Acts agreed upon by both Houses.--[Mr. Allen.]
6 Apr 1998 : Column 132
10.12 pm
Mr. Peter Ainsworth (East Surrey): I beg leave to present a petition signed by more than 5,000 residents of east Surrey, expressing their concern about the threat of large-scale new developments in the green belt and countryside. The petition states:
- The Petitioners therefore request that the House of Commons urge the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions to ensure that more homes are built in city areas, instead of the countryside or Green Belt, to breathe new life into our cities and to protect valuable countryside for future generations.
Electronic Government
Motion made, and Question proposed, That this House do now adjourn.--[Mr. Allen.]
10.13 pm
Ms Margaret Moran (Luton, South): At the outset, I should make clear that I am not an information technology anorak--with the greatest respect to all those who understand the details of all things technological and digital. I secured this debate because I believe that we are on the cusp of a quiet revolution--a revolution in which electronic government can enable us to reinvent government in the way in which we provide public services and reinvigorate democracy. The opportunities of electronic government can enable more efficient delivery of services, greater transparency and access to information, and have potential to empower the citizen and transform democracy.
My passion for the potential for electronic government dates from 1994. It arose due to my concern, as the then leader of Lewisham council, about low levels of participation in local government and low voter turnout. I recognised the need to transform our services, breaking down old departmental divisions and bringing services closer to people. The need to enhance our citizens' role in decision making is also key.
In 1994, we started the democracy project--the "Lewisham Listens" experiment--using new technology to put citizens at the heart of government and enhance local democracy. The experiment included community forums, one of the first citizens' juries, a community plan, video boxes, one of the first council community websites, an award-winning European funded teledemocracy project using interactive IT, and teletalk, using video conferencing in libraries to increase access to services and receive our citizens' views on any aspect of our work.
Subsequently, GALA was developed, providing interactive television kiosks around the borough and in shopping centres, covering health, education, local environment, transport and tourism. Although I was accused by some of my colleagues of encouraging couch-potato democracy, I believe that we learned a great deal and showed that local government is on the leading edge of electronic government.
Since then, of course, electronic government has moved on, with Bristol's plans for a digital city, for example. In my constituency, the Ladman partnership involving Luton and South Bedfordshire councils, Cabletel, Luton university and Luton airport will assist economic regeneration by training and networking local and worldwide business. It also plans to provide free e-mail for all.
Until now, local government's attempts to develop electronic government have been hindered by lack of support from central Government--but no longer. The new Labour Government are promoting new government using new technology, as demonstrated by the commitment of my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister to ensuring that 25 per cent. of all services are electronically delivered by 2002.
The Government are already encouraging greater use of new technologies by business, such as the electronic form for the self-employed, which I saw piloted recently at NatWest in Luton. In education and training,
£350 million has been committed to the national grid for learning and the forthcoming university for industry, and in Luton alone, we received one of the largest grants in the country for our central library to increase access to IT. All that signals a Government who are committed to bringing information technology access and skills to all our community for the millennium and beyond.
The big picture is not just a series of IT initiatives. The Government could lead a global revolution in electronic government. While some countries are galloping ahead in electronic government, such as the Malaysian Government with Malaysia on-line, our United Kingdom information and communication technologies infrastructure is peerless, we are information-rich, and we lead our European counterparts by several leagues. The real challenge for us now is to harness the full potential of the information society to get maximum gain for all our people. The "Better Government" White Paper offers such opportunities. It could lead the way in a fundamental change in the relationship between citizen and government.
The deep sense of disillusionment with government, which prompted my democracy project in 1994, remains. Restoring faith in and reinvigorating democracy remains the most important challenge for all politicians.
Transforming public services via electronic government to provide "joined-up " government will be crucial in that democratic renewal. However, that alone is not enough, and therein lies the real challenge in which electronic government has a key role. The challenges seem to be--first, how do we re-engineer government in a way which has a bottom-up approach and which allows Government to maximise citizen participation?
Secondly, how do we ensure that information is available to citizens in a way which empowers? In the last few weeks, we have seen the development of intelligent mark-up so that citizen access could be improved. Government must have a strategy on this, and recognise, for example, that it may mean that the old methods of civil servants drafting Green and White Papers is obsolete. More important may be how information is tagged, so access, usable information and maximum use of IT infrastructure are key.
Thirdly, the Government need to use the developments in technology. IT's development has a hard commercial edge, but the Government should be hitching a ride to advance electronic government. They can do so by providing vision and leadership and by acting as a kind parent, setting down guidelines for the industry to govern itself and using opportunities to enhance public service and democratic participation. The development of digital broadcasting is such an opportunity. Interactive television in every living room could be used for lifelong learning and citizen participation, particularly by usually excluded groups.
The opportunities are endless. It is not just about voting at Tesco or consultation by cashpoint--there is the development of e-democracy, electronic town meetings, interactive participation and priorities for local government, or using our plans for pre-legislative scrutiny to include electronic and digital consultation. The rewards are great, as we discovered in assessing the democracy project. Using new technology to involve citizens in decision-making works. The proof that it overcomes apathy and is an important new democratic tool is the 95 per cent. satisfaction rate recorded.
The fourth challenge to the Government--one which they are already seizing through investment in IT in schools and libraries--is access. However, the IT-rich and poor are not as obvious as some would believe. Digital broadcasting will revolutionise access, but there is evidence that, where IT access is promoted, it is young people, women and older unemployed citizens who get involved. The Lewisham democracy project showed that teletalk and teledemocracy pilots were particularly well used by people with disabilities and people with English as a second language, and that over half the teletalkers were over 50, with black and ethnic minorities over-represented.
It is no coincidence that the school most advanced in IT in my constituency--for which I performed a virtual launch of its website recently--is Dallow junior. Some 98 per cent. of the pupils are Kashmiri or Bangladeshi, who live in one of the most deprived areas in the UK, where, in some homes, an inside loo is a luxury, let alone a computer. I also welcome the initiative of schools such as Stopsley junior, which is opening its doors to the community to take part in the IT revolution.
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