Parliamentarians call for IT manifesto

The all-party European Information Society Group (Eurim) has issued a seven-point IT manifesto in a bid to influence the main UK parties as they formulate policies for the impending general election.

Eurim's manifesto calls for more unified policing, better IT opportunities for students and charities dealing with IT, and a commitment for all UK citizens to have fast broadband access by 2010.

The list was generated after talking to industry and government to gauge the importance of individual issues.

"It is important that these issues are raised, even if this results in candidates being in violent agreement about them," said Philip Virgo, secretary general of Eurim.

"The problem with the manifesto is that we are in the business of promoting joint working between parties. As such there is no clear blue water or red blood between the parties."

The manifesto was created by taking only those points on which respondents agreed, meaning that disputed topics, like the adoption of open source or commercial software, were not included.

Richard Allen, Liberal Democrat MP for Sheffield Hallam, said: "There are significant policy differences between the parties on specific applications of technology like identity cards, to which the Lib Dems are strongly opposed.

"But what is common to all parties is that any future government will be increasingly dependent on IT to deliver its services and for the overall success of the British economy."

This is the third time Eurim has brought these proposals before MPs. They were first launched a year ago, renewed at the start of the party conference season and are now being published for the election. The manifesto can be downloaded here.