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Dept of Trade and Industry

Answer

Mr. Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry in what ways her Department is promoting the use of information technology solutions as a replacement for paper work. [135509] Mr. Timms: The DTI is promoting the use of information technology solutions in a number of ways, both in conveying key messages to the business community and in the way the Department itself enables its own business processes.UK Online for Business was launched in September 2000 with the aim of promoting the benefits of information and communication technologies. The programme provides impartial advice on how e-business can help businesses reduce costs and increase efficiency by integrating their internal processes and working with customers and suppliers online. This core use of ICT and the more specific usage of e-business technologies to engage, for example, in e-procurement, accounts and collaborative design will provide business with the real potential to reduce and replace paper work. The DTI is working with industry to establish a UK Oil Portal on the world wide web, which will enable all business processes associated with granting consents, approvals and regulatory reporting across all Government Departments to be undertaken electronically in a secure manner. DTI's Export Control Organisation (ECO) has a number of in-house databases and makes constant use of electronic records when processing licence applications and in responding to requests for information from Government Ministers, Parliament and exporters. The ECO has also recently introduced a facility to enable applications to be made over the Internet. Internally, at DTI we are making increasing use of online internal business processesfor our finance and personnel systems, and use our intranet for mainstreamcommunication to staff. We have had an electronic document and records management system for all our five thousand headquarters staff since April 2003, replacing the previous paper system.

Secondary information

Type

Written question

Reference

135509; 412 c386-7W;412 c394-5W

Session

2002-03

Subjects

Software Business Computers Department of Trade and Industry ICT Exports Industry Export controls Internet Electronic commerce Oil UK online for business

Link

View this Written question on www.publications.parliament.uk