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News archive Conference puts people at heart of digital policies Key players in the world of digital inclusion and transformational government will meet today at the National Digital Inclusion Conference. The National Digital Inclusion Conference 2007 - Transforming technology, empowering people - took place in Westminster. Chair of the All Party Internet Group, Derek Wyatt MP, will join Parliamentary Under-Secretary for Social Exclusion, Pat McFadden MP, and Chief Secretary to the Treasury, the Rt Hon Stephen Timms MP, to highlight the growing relationship between digital and social exclusion, and its effect on the development of transformational government. Hosted by Civic Conferences in association with UK online centres, the Conference will see leading government, industry and third sector representatives working across the digital inclusion, social exclusion and t-government sectors debating policy, direction, new partnership opportunities and how best to utlitise emerging technologies. Contributors will include Sir David Varney, senior advisor to Gordon Brown on transformational government, leading representatives from the BBC, Ofcom, Digital UK, Oxford Internet Institute, Intel, BT, Peabody Trust, Citizens Online and UK online centres. Managing Director of UK online centres Helen Milner commented: "It's easy to think everybody is already online. For instance, more than three million people bought their car tax online last year, and we saw the biggest online shopping boom ever, with the UK e-commerce market now worth over £100 billion. Everywhere you go, everything you see or do seems to have a www option. The trouble is that it's only people like me that are using it, and reaping the rewards of being digitally included by saving time, hassle and money. Around 75 per cent of people who are 'socially excluded' aren't online. Altogether a third of all adults in this country aren't getting these benefits. The digital divide isn't closing, it's getting deeper. "Digital inclusion is no longer just about technology. The websites and the pathways to access are in place. The next step has to be about reaching the people at the bottom of the divide - those with the most to gain from technology but the least motivation to use it. Technology has changed how we live, how we work and how we communicate - with government, public services and with each other. Those not using computers and the internet are at an increasing economic and social disadvantage. As technology and its role within public services move forward, it's essential we don't leave already disadvantaged people even further behind. "This Conference will see us making links between previously independent areas of policy, and showcasing the outreach projects and new technologies which have the potential to transform digital inclusion." Ends For further information please contact Abi Stevens, UK online centres, 0778 666 0689,
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