Britons unimpressed by e-government

Despite significant investment in e-government, latest research indicates that fewer than one in ten Britons use the internet to interact with government departments.

The UK has higher internet use for general browsing and ecommerce than some of its European counterparts, said Susannah Quick, director at market research firm Taylor Nelson Sofres, whose firm carried out 29,000 interviews across Europe.

"This has not translated into use of e-government," Quick said.

The research indicates that on average 26 per cent of European citizens use the internet for dealing with government departments.

Government plans to have all public services online will be shaken by the study, which indicates that Britons do not use the internet to interact with government departments.

"We have got to turn the e-government hype into reality," said Andrew Pinder, the government's e-Envoy.

The Inland Revenue has been offering tax-breaks for tax returns submitted electronically. A national television advertising campaign is also trying to promote the government's UK Online initiative.

But despite efforts such as these, Pinder recently acknowledged that the government would miss some of its targets in the attempt to make the UK an internet leader.