PITCOM

PITCOM briefing July 2010: Internet governance: Internet governance: Too importa

Co-operation or control?
The internet�s fast-changing nature means the formal structures of international law are too slow to keep up. So how can its development be safeguarded and overseen for the common good? Decision time is close and the stakes are high.

PITCOM meeting report June 2010: Why we must become a 100% connected nation

Good connections
The lives of millions would be enhanced by greater access to the internet � and UK plc would gain billions, says UK Digital Champion Martha Lane Fox.

Tribute to Ian Taylor MBE

Ian Taylor, previously a Vice chairman of PITCOM, retired at the 2010 General Election. Richard Sarson pays a personal tribute to him, and fears that his experience will be missed in the new Parliament.

PITCOM meeting report February 2010: The future of data protection and privacy

Privacy on parade
Tougher legal sanctions are needed to deal with the problem of stolen identities, says Information Commissioner Christopher Graham.

PITCOM Council Members 2010

Students encouraged to help get their communities online

MPs and e-skills UK have launched the fourth year of the Make IT Happy competition, a UK-wide technology challenge for primary school students aged 9 to 11. The competition is run by the Parliamentary Information Technology Committee (PITCOM) and e-skills UK, the Sector Skills Council for Business and Information Technology, and is backed by more than 80 MPs from across the UK.

Schools can enter at http://makeithappy.cc4g.net/. The closing date for entries is 31st July 2010.

PITCOM Annual Report for 2009

The PITCOM Annual Report for 2009 has been published, and can be found at this link in Word format

PITCOM: Corporate members 2010

The corporate members of PITCOM currently include:

PITCOM briefing January 2010: This issue: Accessing and using digital maps

Mapping the future
Radical change is afoot at Ordnance Survey, with consultation underway on freeing up most of its data for all to use. But what are the potential pitfalls?

PITCOM meeting report Jan 2010: Cloud computing � Opportunity or threat?

Cloud forecast
Cloud computing can break down large IT projects into constituent parts, bringing new flexibility and efficiency to major government programmes.

PITCOM meeting report Dec 2009: Virtual worlds in education

Games lesson
The technologies behind popular videogames has vital potential for youth social engagement and education, Lord Puttnam of Queensgate told PITCOM.

PITCOM briefing December 2009: Protecting our Critical National Infrastructure

Life support systems
The UK�s Critical National Infrastructure � its network of essential services � grows ever more dependent on technology. How to control the risks?

The late John McWilliam

Long-standing members of PITCOM will be saddened to learn of the death of John McWilliam. The former Member for Blaydon was Chairman from 1997 until his retirement from Parliament in 2005.

PITCOM meeting report Oct 2009: Technology in the future political process

The future is interactive
The internet�s two-way flexibility can enhance dialogue between politicians and citizens. But technology alone cannot create a better political system.

MPs defeat journalists in technology challenge

While some PITCOM Parliamentary members sipped wine on the Terrace of the House of Lords on 23rd June, others were pitting their technical knowledge half a mile away in Church House in a stern struggle against teams of journalists and civil servants in the third �BT Technology Challenge� quiz.

PITCOM briefing Sept 2009: Purchasing power � access to public sector ICT contracts by small businesses

A bureaucratic mountain
Pitching for lucrative public sector contracts can be a daunting prospect for small businesses. What measures can government take to redress the balance?

PITCOM meeting report June 2009: IT's role in the erosion of economic sovereignt

Checks and balances
At the June 2009 PITCOM meeting, Will Hutton said: 'The world financial crisis is causing governments to look inwards and try to reassert economic sovereignty. The problem is, Britain has been a major beneficiary of globalisation, and stands to lose much from its weakening.'

Obituary: Derek H Broome 1922 - 2009

Derek H Broome
Born 16th June 1922
Died 8th June 2009

�I�m only a humble engineer but �� .

PITCOM summer reception: House of Lords Terrace, 23rd June 2009

Rt Hon Stephen Timms MP, Financial Secretary to the Treasury and a former Treasurer of the Parliamentary Information Technology Committee (PITCOM) was guest of honour at PITCOM�s summer reception on the House of Lords Terrace on 23rd June 2009. The evening was hosted by the Earl of Erroll, and kindly sponsored by Motorola.

PITCOM Annual Report 2008 & membership report 2009

The PITCOM Annual Report 2008 & membership report 2009 have been published, and can be found at this link in pdf format

PITCOM briefing May 2009: An elusive IMP: the state of UK communications surveillance powers

The great data debate
The Government�s proposed new Interception Modernisation Programme (IMP) � plans for extended monitoring of citizens� communications data � is attracting controversy, despite being scaled down to avoid creating a single centralised database. How to proceed?

PITCOM meeting report May 2009: Deal or no deal: Pricing in the mobile communica

Upwardly mobile
The mobile phone sector is booming but, as an industry, it can be slow to tackle consumer issues. Will the Government have to step in to force
it to act more swiftly?

PITCOM meeting report March 2009: Security policy: Myth or reality?

A balancing act
Large databases are necessary for major organisations to function in the modern world, but what measures can be taken to balance the benefits with potential risks of possible misuse of data?

PITCOM: Future meetings

Tuesday 22nd June
Digital Inclusion
Martha Lane Fox
Champion for Digital Inclusion
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Summer reception on the House of Lords Terrace
Host: Earl of Erroll
[with thanks to Motorola]

Tuesday 12th October
Awards ceremony for PITCOM�s national primary schools competition Make IT Happy. Prizes to be presented by Mr Speaker

Tuesday 30th November 6.00 pm
Speaker: Sir David Pepper KCMG: Director of GCHQ 2003-8
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House of Lords Dinner

Host Lord Toby Harris
Guest of Honour: Sir David Omand GCB, Former intelligence and security co-ordinator

PITCOM meeting report February 2009: Digital Britain: An Industry Manifesto

Broadband blueprint

Lord Carter�s interim report on Digital Britain is a step in the right direction, says the Communications Management Association. But five key policy areas must be strengthened to give UK businesses a boost.

PITCOM news December 2008: Mission to India report

Four Parliamentary members of PITCOM attended the Internet Governance Forum in Hyderabad from December 3-6th 2008. PITCOM took the lead on this initiative with the support of Eurim and Appcomms. Nominet, the .UK registry, sponsored the MPs� visit to the conference.While the MPs were in Hyderabad they spent two days of the IGF week (December 1st and 2nd 2008) visiting Indian IT organisations to gain an understanding of the Indian IT Industry.

PITCOM Council Members 2009

PITCOM meeting report January 2009: Your information - Who cares?

A high personal priority

Who cares about personal data? Nearly everyone: according to research, 94 per cent of the public rank concerns about their information as a top social issue � alongside worries about crime.?

Parliament encourages students encouraged to use technology to make people smile

The Parliamentary Information Technology Committee (PITCOM), in partnership with e-skills UK, the Sector Skills Council for Business and Information Technology, launch the third year of their UK-wide technology challenge for all pupils aged 9 to 11, with the theme of Make IT Happy.

PITCOM briefing December 2008: US08 - the use of new technology

The ultimate political machine?
The use of the internet in political campaigns reached new heights with Barack Obama�s election. Given our different legal framework, what lessons can be learned by UK politicians from US08 online?

PITCOM meeting report November 2008: Green IT

The green data dilemma

IT can consume large amounts of energy, but might we actually need to increase overall IT emissions to make full use of technology to reduce carbon footprints in other areas of our organisations?

PITCOM meeting report October 2008: Multimedia Cities for the Future

A �3bn media city in the regenerated Salford Quays and �fibre to the home� in the new town of Ebbsfleet, Kent present two visions of the future of the UK�s next-generation economy.

CMA launches Communications Manifesto to kick-start UK economy

CMA has launched its first Manifesto aimed at helping the UK out of the recession. It calls upon the current and future governments to put ICT at the heart of economic recovery in order to breathe life into UK enterprise and the national economy. The Manifesto was launched yesterday at CMA's annual conference in London in front of both industry and government.In her conference speech CMA chairman, Carolyn Kimber warned that disjointed government policies, a weak regulator and a negative, lethargic approach to local provision of infrastructure and services could leave British competitiveness, enterprise and innovation trailing behind other G8 countries. The Manifesto identifies 5 action points: 1. Ensure converged ICT policy-making at the top of government;2. Introduce a new Communications Act;3. Encourage universal access to next generation broadband that ensures real, effective and sustainable competition in the supply of ICT goods and services;4. Introduce national roaming to provide better than 95% geographical coverage;5. Seek out a single European Market for ICTCarolyn also commented on the recent Interim 'Digital Britain' Report saying "it is a long-delayed step in the right direction and implementation of its access and infrastructure proposals deserves unqualified, all-party support." She also referred to the commercial and societal imperatives of investing in what US President Obama's has called "the digital lines that feed our commerce and bind us together".Carolyn's speech and the CMA Manifesto can be found on the CMA website at the following links:Carolyn's speech - http://www.thecma.com/press/speeches/ CMA Manifesto - http://www.thecma.com/press_policy/CMA_Communications_Manifesto/

Make IT Happen 2008 Winners Announced

Schools representing London, the South West and Wales have been named overall winners in the Make IT Happen 2008 challenge, a competition initiated by the Parliamentary Information Technology Committee (PITCOM) and organised by e-skills UK and the Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET). The winners were announced by the Lords Speaker, the Rt Hon Baroness Hayman at a special awards ceremony in Westminster.

PITCOM Briefing July 2008: E-participation � consultation and campaigns in the internet age

The power and the weaknessInternet-based consultations and campaigns have the power to capture public feeling on an unprecedented scale. But are politicians listening and are all parts of society able to benefit?

PITCOM meeting report June 2008: Data security and information assurance

Data protection dutyThe Government�s problems with data security are not due to technology glitches but failures of process and culture, minister Paul Murphy MP said. In future, every public sector employee must be part of the security frontline.

PITCOM meeting report May 2008: Trustworthy e-government

A question of trust
Data sharing, a key component of transformational government, should help focus public services on citizens� needs, but the government needs to focus less on the technology and more on keeping the public�s trust.

PITCOM meeting report April 2008: UK Internet Governance Forum

Local response to global challenge
The internet has revolutionised communications, but alongside its benefits sit a range of tough challenges such as fighting crime, ensuring good governance and accountability. The new UK Internet Governance Forum aims to be a key part of the solution to these problems.

PITCOM Briefing May 2008: Digital TV switchover

As most UK citizens are now aware, something is happening to our television signals. From this year and for the next four years, terrestrial analogue TV signals are being switched off, region by region, to be replaced exclusively by digital TV.

PITCOM meeting report March 2008: Cybercrime and the police
A united front to combat fraud
A series of partnership initiatives between Parliament, government, consumers, law enforcement and the private sector are designed to combat cybercrime and close the gaps through which fraudsters can slip.

PITCOM meeting report February 2008: Next Generation Broadband
The broadband generation gap
The UK appears to be falling behind other developed countries in laying fibre for next generation broadband. But the government must steer a careful path between wasting public money and investing too late.

Make IT Happen 2008
The 2008 Make IT Happen technology competition for primary school students aged nine to eleven has launched across the UK. The competition is jointly organised by the Parliamentary Information Technology Committee (PITCOM) and e-skills UK, (the Sector Skills Council for IT and Telecoms), in partnership with the Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET).

Meeting report January 2008: Personal Internet Security
Time for a crackdown on e-crime: More resources need to be put into identifying online fraud so the scale of the problem can be assessed. only then can government evaluate what resources are needed to deal with the problem.

PITCOM Council Members 2008

PITCOM annual report 2007 is published