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14/02/06
‘ONS report a wake up call for Government’, says hi-tech industry Intellect responds to ‘ Economic Trends’, the report released today by the Office of National Statistics
Reacting to The Office for National Statistics (ONS) report, Economic Trends, which sought to outline improved methods for measuring investment in software in the UK, Beatrice Rogers, Senior Progamme Manager for the Knowledge Economy, at Intellect said; “Intellect has long been calling on Government to recognise the contribution which ICT makes to UK productivity, and has been voicing concern over what it consider to be Government’s use of economic measurements designed for ‘old economy’ needs. This report proves that we were right to be concerned, and should be a wake up call for decision makers across Government.
The revised estimates show that the UK is investing over £10bn more than Government thought on software. This means that ICT investment is comparable with R&D investment and improves the position of the UK in relation to other countries in the international league tables for prosperity. This is positive news for the UK, however it does also place a question mark over Government’s measurement of our progress. This is of the highest concern to industry, as continued measurement of the wrong things will result in implementation of the wrong policies, and a UK heading in the wrong direction.
As an industry we are committed to working with Government, to help scope the new economic measurements which will be required to lead the UK forwards as a knowledge economy. In March we conclude our Knowledge Economy Index report. We hope that its recommendations for new economic measurements will be considered by Government, and play a part in helping to re-engineer the measurement process to enable more effective planning of policies which enable the UK to progress towards its knowledge economy goals.”
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