The 2015 general election is now over and the Conservative Party has won a majority of seats. It will therefore be in power for the next five years, with Prime Minister David Cameron continuing in that role.
This might have come as a surprise to many, after all the opinion polls failed to predict this on the build up, but it means the government will be made up of a single party rather than a coalition. And that means it is easier to see which policies the new government will attempt to push through parliament.
So, putting the overall picture to one side, what does a Tory win mean to the tech industry in the UK? What has the Conservative Party promised in the build up to the election that we will hope to see enforced in the next five years?
1. Superfast broadband for all
In the last five years, the government launched major initiatives to increase the reach and speeds of broadband connectivity throughout the UK and that is sure to continue. The Conservative 2015 manifesto pledged £790 million of further spending to extend superfast broadband into rural areas, with a goal of having 95 per cent of the country covered by 2017.The private sector will also gain access (most likely through a new round of auctions) to spectrum currently used by the public sector to expand wireless broadband to areas that might not be reachable by cable.
2. Tech startups
The Conservative Party will encourage tech startups with a number of key initiatives, including increasing the amount of money available as startup loans to £300 million and offer tax reliefs for small to medium-sized enterprises.It will also expand the creation of new "tech incubators" - funded catapult centres which will help research and development thrive.
3. 5G
The Tories want the UK to be the world leader in the progression of 5G network technologies. "We will ensure that Britain seizes the chance to be a world leader in the development of 5G, playing a key role in defining industry standards," it said in its election manifesto.However, as Pocket-lint has been told in the past, a usable 5G network in the country is not expected until at least 2022, a couple of years after the next general election.
4. Robots, nanotechnology and driverless cars
The new government will work closely with the "resurgent car industry" to ensure that the motor industry continues to grow. That could also mean legislation that will further encourage the testing of driverless vehicles on British roads.The Conservative manifesto also pledged to commit resources to the "Eight Great Technologies", including robotics and nanotechnology, in order to become a "world leader" in those fields.
5. The Internet of Things
In his pre-election budget, chancellor George Osborne claimed that the UK would heavily invest in the Internet of Things, but without really going into any specifics. The Tory manifesto, however, states that by 2020, it is the party's pledge that all homes and businesses in the country will at least have a smart meter to control their energy supplies.This will allow individuals to control their energy consumption more efficiently and reduce costs. The manifesto also states that should a consumer be unhappy with their current energy provider, the technology will be such that they will be able to switch gas and/or electricity supplier within "one day".
6. Travel
Alongside the NHS and police force, which have both been targeted with technological innovations and IT initiatives, the transport sector will have smart ticketing systems introduced, with refunds and passenger compensation agreements in place in the case of trains running more than a few minutes late.Trains will also have Wi-Fi fitted as standard through an investment of "millions of pounds" and the mobile phone network on routes will be improved to maintain signals.
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