Implementing Information-Age Government: principles, progress and paradox

make sure that government services are brought forrvard using the best and most modern techniques ... especially electronic information-age services (PM and Cabinet Office: 1999: Introduction by the Minister for the Cabinet Office). By 2002, the UK will have achieved the goal of becoming the best environment in the world for e-commerce. [A] key indicator of success will be that ... a higher wor/J~ 6 c’M~~r c ~ ~ ~ :~’cafc’ q/’~MCc~~ !// &e ~af /u’ /: /’ percentage of total government services may be transacted through e-commerce networks than in any other G7 country (PIU, 1999: para. 1. 12.). As these quotations show’, the present Labour Government has nailed its strategies for governmental reform firmly to the conviction that ’modem government’ should be ’electronic government’, fit for an ’information age’. Since it came to power in 1997, it has developed an increasingly coherent programme for an e-government future. This programme is being asked to bear