Queen's Speech highlights commitment to e-commerce - but take up varies so far

Through the medium of the Queen's Speech Wednesday the Government set out its commitment to seeing the UK lead the way in the development of e-commerce.

Proposed legislation has already attracted broad support, as well as a fair bit of criticism on points perceived to raise barriers rather than lower them. Encryption policy, in particular, has been a hotly debated topic.

The Cabinet Office Performance Innovation Unit set out the Government's vision some time ago in e-commerce@its.best.uk. This described the goal - in rather grand terms - as developing the UK as the best place in the world for electronic trade.

Meanwhile, BT has been checking on the attitudes of SMEs.

67% of the UK's smaller companies are not using the internet for two main reasons - fear of increasing their costs and confusion resulting from the competing offers of ISPs.

BT argues that e-mail offers the best value for money in communication, measured on time, distance and length of document, and is urging SMEs to start on the net this way.

Elliott Chase