More incentives to boost e-government

An Oxford professor is arguing that the government needs to introduce more incentives to get people using its online services.

Professor Helen Margetts from Oxford's Internet Institute spoke about the developments and future of e-government in the UK at the recent IdeA e-Champions Network Annual Conference and Exhibition 2005.

Professor Helen Margetts said there were still a number of groups excluded from the Internet world whose requirements needed to be addressed, commenting that "e-Government not used is expensive government."

A report entitled, "e-Government: Reaching socially exluded groups?" was also launched at the conference and provides an overview of council-run digital inclusion schemes across the country.

She later spoke to Computeractive and reiterated the need to "reward" people for using online services.

"There is a lack of incentive. Most people like shopping but they don't like dealing with government. It's the same online. The government needs to offer incentives," she said.

However, she went on to say that some online services should be made compulsory.

The conference last week marks the final national gathering of e-government representatives before the 2005 target of getting 100 per cent of local authorities up and running online.