Wales Office

New Minister for Digital Inclusion Paul Murphy has appealed for public, private and third sector support to help reach the final third of UK citizens who are digitally excluded.

Mr Murphy, who is also Secretary of State for Wales, made his first speech in his capacity as Minister for Digital Inclusion at the National Digital Inclusion Conference in London today (Tuesday, 29 April).

The Conference brought together more than 200 policymakers and practitioners working across government, industry and the third sector to consider the inequity in digital technology take-up across the UK and further actions needed to reach the most digitally excluded citizens - including older people and socially disadvantaged groups.

Mr Murphy discussed the development of a Digital Strategy Action Plan following the establishment of a new Cabinet committee to tackle the issue of digital inclusion.

He said: “I am delighted to be offered the responsibility to lead and champion digital inclusion across the Government in addition to my responsibilities for Wales.

“Technology and the internet are now woven into the fabric of our society. However, we cannot ignore the fact that those who are socially excluded are much less likely to have access to and to benefit from technology.

“Digital inclusion aims to create a fair society and bring social and economic benefits to individuals, communities and the economy as a whole. It is the links between social and technological disadvantage that makes digital inclusion a priority today.

“It is for this reason that the Government has established a new Cabinet committee focused on digital exclusion. Ministerial colleagues from all departments sit on this committee and will collectively be looking to co-ordinate policies and develop a coherent strategy to ensure that all citizens, especially the disadvantaged, benefit from the use of digital technologies.

“We met for the first time last week, and are looking forward to developing a Digital Strategy Action Plan over the coming months which will build on the lessons Government has learnt to date.

“Action is needed to stop digital technologies becoming a divider in our country and instead to make them a great and powerful equaliser.”

Other Government Ministers to address the conference included Minister for Schools Jim Knight and Communities and Local Government Minister Baroness Andrews, who focused on the role of digital technologies in education and the work of local authorities and local strategic partnerships.

Schools Minister Jim Knight said: “Our aim is to get access for every household with young people aged 5-19 years old. We need to bridge the Digital Divide because of its impact on educational attainment and parental involvement, but also because of the opportunities it offers to widen access to the many advantages of online public services and the skills to participate in the modern economy. Effective, safe and balanced use of the internet brings people many benefits. Digital Inclusion can translate to social inclusion and in today’s world this is therefore about social justice.”

Communities Minister Baroness Andrews said: “New technologies offer us very exciting and creative solutions to tackling the social deprivation and exclusion that blights too many people’s lives.

“Whether it’s booking a GP appointment, applying for an evening course, petitioning your local councillor or equipping frontline services to deliver real time services to the most disadvantaged, making better use of technology directly or indirectly including connecting communities onto the World Wide Web, can have a huge impact, giving people the opportunities that most of us take for granted.

“That’s why I want to build on the lessons and good practice emerging from the Digital Challenge winners, Sunderland, and from the DC10- plus network to create a network of ‘digital advisers’ in every region, to ensure every local strategic partnership can make the most of this new resource.

“Working through the Government Offices, these new teams will deliver expert support and share the best of what local authorities and their partners are already achieving, so that we can make a real difference, bridging the social divide by bridging the digital divide.”

Notes to Editors

• The Rt Hon Paul Murphy MP was given the responsibility to lead and champion digital inclusion across the Government by Prime Minister Gordon Brown when he was re-appointed Welsh Secretary in January.
• UKOnline run the National Digital Inclusion Conference each year to highlight how the digital inclusion agenda has advanced during the previous twelve months.
• Plans for digital advisers through Regional Improvement and Efficiency
• Partnerships were included in ‘Prospectus 2008: The Guide to Improvement and Efficiency Support’, published on 18 March 2008, which can be found at the DCLG website at: http://www.communities.gov.uk/publications/localgovernment/efficiencysupport