PR & Media Centre

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The Chancellor today simply announced the creation of an advisory committee on SME access. We are waiting to hear who will sit on the committee: it is vital that not only a wide range of sectors, including technology are represented, but also that SMEs are consulted about what the practicalities of such an initiative and what they feel would really help them. Brown's Business Advisory Council created last year, contained just one technology company, when our sector represents at least 10% of GDP. We urge Anne Glover who will chair the committee, to ensure a more proportional representation in this case."

Intellect represents over 800 technology companies of all sizes. In the technology sector SME access to public contracts has been a real issue, particularly in the National Programme for IT and Intellect has been working to improve the situation for smaller companies.

Science and Innovation
"In a budget prefaced by remarks on the importance of the creative industries, knowledge-based industries and technology manufacturing to Britain, the lack of funding for technology education, when science and innovation education are receiving extra cash, is striking. It smacks of a lack of appreciation of the real role of technology in the UK economy and is very disappointing."

Road pricing and active traffic management
"At the same time as establishing a fund to develop road charging technology, it is vital for the government to understand where how technology is developing, so that projects can be future proofed. As the technology changes and advances, government planning needs to keep up with it. We urge the government to consult with our industry to understand the technology, the market capacity and what is really practical prior to tendering for road charging. A simple, but effective mechanism for government-industry consultation already exists and it would be fool-hardy not to use it."

Intellect runs a special interest group on road charging and last year published a paper outlining technology capabilities in this area.

In addition Intellect welcomes the fund for women entrepreneurs and that for getting more people into work. We believe that both these initiatives could have a positive effect on the industry.

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