The Parliamentary Internet, Communications and Technology Forum
PICTFOR Newsletter – A summer update and look ahead to a busy autumn schedule
PICTFOR would like to thank our industry members, parliamentary Vice-Chairs, our Co-Chairs, Treasurer and Industry Chair for all of your support throughout the year so far.
During this rapidly changing time, PICTFOR continues to operate as a forum for discussion between Parliamentarians, industry, academics and other stakeholders on strategic issues facing the tech sector and we are grateful for your continued interest and support.
As the largest and most active APPG, PICTFOR is finding innovative ways to continue providing a forum for the internet, communications and technology sectors and interested parliamentarians to communicate on pressing topics.
We will be keeping you and all our other members updated on our activities in regular newsletters to further promote and engage with the tech sector during these unprecedented times.
Summer Update
2020 has been a challenging year for everyone, our health, our way of life and our prosperity have all been in jeopardy. As a nation and as a community, we have risen to these newfound challenges and at PICTFOR, as across the nation, we have had plenty to be proud of despite the difficulties.
Our members have been amongst those at the forefront of the nation’s response to the virus, keeping the UK connected, making sure the new way of life is secure, and protecting our vital health system. Despite the pandemic, 2020 has seen PICTFOR go from strength to strength, with continued engagement with Government, engaged parliamentarians from all parties and both Houses, as well as our senior representatives from our industry members.
We have hosted virtual events throughout the pandemic with Digital Minister, Caroline Dinenage MP, Civil Societies and Lords DCMS Minister, Baroness Barran MBE; and Shadow Science, Research and Digital Minister, Chi Onwurah MP to discuss the implications of the pandemic on the sector and invited industry members to share their experiences of adapting their services during uncertain times. These events have been attended by many other parliamentarians, from both Houses and from a number of different political parties.
In June, we held our first virtual CEO Forum with Matt Warman MP, Minister for Digital Infrastructure where we discussed, amongst other things, investment into digital infrastructure and the roll out of 5G.
Thank you to all members who sent updates on their recent activity regarding COVID-19, which were included in an email update to all interested Parliamentarians. We have had positive feedback from Officers and other Parliamentarians who valued hearing updates on the latest developments and having this way to stay in touch with what member organisations are doing during this time.
You can find details of our COVID-19 Stakeholder Input Report and all of our previous events, including links to catch up, here on the PICTFOR website.