The Office of the Government Chief Information Officer will consult the information and communications technology industry on the proposed focus areas for the fourth Digital 21 Strategy.

It plans to issue a draft strategy for public consultation in October and promulgate the final version early next year.

The Digital 21 Strategy Advisory Committee today discussed the seven proposed focus areas. They are:

* delivering citizen-centric public services;

* furthering economic and industry development;

* fostering an innovative culture;

* facilitating information infrastructure and standards development;

* creating trust: information security and privacy

* enhancing the quality of living; and,

* building a digitally inclusive and knowledge society.

The proposed focus areas seek to embrace those action areas under the existing strategy that require further action, while including new ideas and initiatives arising from discussions with stakeholders and international trends and developments.

The committee was also updated on the development of the one-stop access portal. An expression of Interest exercise will be conducted in the third quarter to gauge private sector interest in offering value-added information and services through the one-stop access portal to the public, with a view to introducing such content and services in the latter half of 2007 after completing the necessary tendering procedures.

Members also discussed the proposed establishment of the Communications Authority as a unified regulator for the electronic communications sector in Hong Kong. They generally supported the new initiative.

Subject to the outcome of public consultation, the Government plans to introduce the necessary legislation on the establishment of the new unified regulator into the Legislative Council by the end of the year.