UK sets $1.2bn eGov budget

European governments will spend widely differing amounts on getting services online, according to IDC researchers.

The survey looked at how spending in France, Germany, Italy, Spain and the UK will increase up to 2008. Britain is expected to boost its annual budget from $828m in 2004 to just under $1.2bn in 2008.

France and Germany will both ramp up their spend to $1.3bn - up from $980m and $985m, respectively.

By contrast, increases in egovernment spending in Italy and Spain are more modest. In 2004 the Spanish government will allocate $200m, increasing to $300m in 2008. Italy will stump up $520m in 2008 - up from 2004's $371m.

The survey looked at what government was spending on electronic delivery of services, not overall government IT spending. Massimiliano Claps, senior research analyst at IDC, told The Register: "The differences by country reflects the differences in total IT spending - i.e. the percentage of IT that goes to eGovernment is somewhat similar, but the total budgets vary significantly. The total UK IT spending is four times the Spanish, thus also the eGovernment spending."

Claps said more countries were establishing central procurement procedures to improve savings. He said rating spending in terms of value for money was more difficult. There are two areas to measure - firstly internal productivity and savings which is quite easy to gauge. Secondly, the benefits for citizens which are harder to quantify but might include speed of service and improvements to services. ®

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