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Yesterday Lord Stephen Carter (Minister for Communications, Technology and Broadcasting) officially announced the appointment of Martha Lane Fox as the Government’s new Champion for Digital Inclusion and the establishment of a Task Force of 10 expert advisors as part of the launch of the Digital Britain report.



The announcement follows the Digital Britain report’s commitment to do more for the 17 million people who are still excluded from digital technology, and calls for further action for the 6 million who are both digitally and socially excluded.



"The best public ambitions benefit enormously from the commercial and personal experience of people like Martha Lane Fox; willingly giving of their time and their expertise. I am delighted that Martha has accepted this vital responsibility", Lord Stephen Carter said of the appointment.



Digital Inclusion is about making the best use of digital technology, either directly or indirectly, to improve the lives and life chances of all citizens, particularly the most disadvantaged, and the places in which they live.



The role of a Champion for Digital Inclusion was first recommended by Paul Murphy, then Secretary of State for Wales and Minister for Digital Inclusion, in the HM Government’s Delivering Digital Inclusion, an Action Plan for Consultation, launched in October 2008.



They key findings of the report were that 17 million people in the UK are not online and that there is a strong correlation between digital exclusion and social exclusion. The report also suggested the considerable potential that technology has to improve the lives of disadvantaged citizens and communities.



Of her new role, Martha said: “I am extremely excited to be given this opportunity. Although I realise I am lucky enough to be one of the least digitally excluded people in the country, I have seen first-hand how technology can help to create positive change in people’s lives. I will use ideas, contacts and experience from both the commercial and charitable sectors to make sure that, with the help of the Task Force, I quickly start to deliver effective projects.”



As Champion for Digital Inclusion, Martha and the Digital Inclusion Task Force will represent those who are both socially and digitally excluded, who are not currently reaping the benefits of digital technologies. Martha will be working with a Task Force of experts from a range of related organisations. Their names are also officially announced here today.



Anna Bradley - Communications Consumer Panel

Kevin Carey - HumanITy, RNIB

Phil Coppard - Barnsley Council

Jon Drori - Changing Media Ltd

Emma Gilthorpe - BT

Seetha Kumar - BBC

Catherine Marshall - The Lighthouse Project

Helen Milner - UK online centres

Tristan Wilkinson - Intel

Tom Wright - Age Concern and Help the Aged


Martha Lane Fox officially starts in this new role on June 22nd 2009 and is appointed for two years.


For more information please contact Abigail Stevens on 0778 666 0689 or email astevens@ufi.com.



Notes to editors

Martha Lane Fox

Martha Lane Fox co-founded lastminute.com in 1998 with business partner Brent Hoberman, floated the business in 2000 and remained on the company's board until its sale in 2005. It is currently still Europe's largest travel and leisure website. Martha is co-founder and chairman of Lucky Voice whose mission is to bring back the joy of singing together into everyday life. Martha is also Founder and Chair of Antigone.org.uk, her own grant-giving foundation. Antigone supports early stage charities in criminal justice, health and education. Martha is a Non-Executive Director at Marks & Spencer plc, Channel 4 Television and Mydeco and a Trustee of Reprieve.

Champion for Digital Inclusion

The role of Champion for Digital Inclusion was first recommended in the HM Government’s Delivering Digital Inclusion, an Action Plan for Consultation report, launched last October by Paul Murphy, available at: http://www.communities.gov.uk/publications/communities/deliveringdigitalinclusion




Rebecca King

Director

Antigone - Martha Lane Fox's Charitable Foundation

www.antigone.org.uk 

reg. 1120554


07966 231264

0207 907 7738