UK e-government figures disappoint

Electorate ignoring Westminster and local web offerings...

A meagre 13 per cent of the UK electorate have used the internet to access online government services over the past year. Research from Taylor Nelson Sofres reveals the full failure of e-government services in the UK compared to the rest of the world. The global average, based on 31 countries, shows 30 per cent of voters using online government services to perform tasks such as filing tax returns or paying bills - the UK figure is not even half that. The survey also revealed UK adults are still wary of making online transactions, with 60 per cent of those surveyed saying they feel unsafe disclosing personal information such as credit card numbers. In this respect the UK is on a par with the rest of the world, where the average figure was 63 per cent. In terms of the countries really putting the UK to shame over the uptake of e-government services, Scandinavians are blazing a particularly impressive trail. Sweden (57 per cent) and Norway (56 per cent) are leading the pack, while Denmark is joint third with Singapore on 53 per cent. Susannah Quick, director of social research at Taylor Nelson Sofres, said in a statement: "While there has been a small increase in the number of adults in Britain accessing e-government services, Britain still has a very long way to go to catch up with other countries. "These results will be a disappointment to most parties involved in the provision of e-government services."