- Technology Secretary requires more investments in the UK from Tech Giants
- Peter Kyle hails the potential of British companies
- Kyle hits back on those who criticize his meeting with tech companies – since it’s his job
The British Government Technology Secretary has called for global tech giants to continue to bring their latest innovations and more investments to the country.
When he spoke on Google Cloud’s Summit London event, Peter Kyle declared: “My message to the big technology companies is ready: Bring us your best ideas, your best technique at your best price, and you will have access to the biggest client in the country.”
“On the other hand, you get access to the largest client in the country, one that will become more and more intelligent and increasingly digital.”
Goodbye “Ball and Chain” Tech
Kyle also knocked out of those who criticized his meetings with technology companies and noticed, “It’s my job”.
He mentioned a report from The Guardian who claimed he had 28 meetings with people in or close to the tech sector in his six months in the role, including larger companies such as Amazon, Google, Microsoft and Meta – 70% more than his predecessor.
“Yes, I’ve met tech companies,” he declared. “How to deliver value to the public. How to unlock Innovation.”
Kyle spoke when the British government announced a new partnership with Google Cloud, which aims to help pull it earlier away from the dependence of the “ball and chain” legacy technology.
He noted that more than one in four tech systems in the public sector is estimated to run on Legacy Tech -a number that jumps to as high as 70% in some police forces and NHS trusts, sometimes on contracts signed decades ago.
Overall, the partnership could see Google investing hundreds of millions of pounds in Britain’s public technology, noted Kyle, “Help to provide my ambition to bring public services people use every day, pull it into the 21st century.”
The move would also help reduce the burden of the taxpayer, who often has to take the bill for the estimated £ 21 billion spent buying the same technology time and time again due to outdated, enclosed contracts.
Kyle referred to several other significant recent messages, including the newly released Gov.uk app, as well as National Digital Marketplace, a new public sector purchasing platform.
“Britain will use technology in more areas and more than ever before,” he declared, “We know that tools using the same technology are able to transform Whitehall itself, NHS and other important services that millions of people in our entire country depend on (and) with more practical support, I can’t wait to see what our two teams deliver together.”
