Digital Technology: UK Labour Market

Lord Allen of Kensington Excerpts

Tuesday 9th December 2014 Lords Chamber

[Baroness Neville-Rolfe]

I thank the noble Baroness for the opportunity to talk about the programme that we have set in train—the small business capability programme —which is helping 1.6 million small businesses to transact online by 2018; the work we are doing in employer-led reformed apprenticeships at every level, including the higher level; and, of course, the whole programme of reform that she has helped so much to push forward in Whitehall.

[Lord Allen of Kensington (Lab)]

My Lords, the Prime Minister said:

“It is our ambition to make the UK the most digital nation in the G8 and it is my mission to show the world that we’re getting there”.

I ask the Minister, in the words of the five year-old in the back of the car: are we there yet? What are we doing next? What is on the Prime Minister’s wish list?

[Baroness Neville-Rolfe]

I always think it is important not to boast about progress, but in Europe we are widely regarded as being very much at the leading edge. Interestingly, on some scores, we are even doing well versus the sacred San Francisco and Silicon Valley, with London emerging as a premier location for digital entrepreneurs, people choosing London for IPOs and UK venture capital markets improving. Our programme, led by my honourable friend in the other place, Ed Vaizey, is moving forward the strength we have in digital anyway. The jobs that we are creating in this sector are growing at an even faster rate than the rest of employment.