Government wants to see growth of tech sector outside London

Ed Vaizey applauds UK tech strongholds and calls on next generation of digital entrepreneurs to also focus on largely state-backed sectors

The government is urging tech companies to target the education and healthcare sectors as it encourages the industry's growth outside London.

The digital economy minister, Ed Vaizey, wants the next generation of tech entrepreneurs to focus on sectors that are largely state-backed. Wherever government is involved as a buyer of services, Vaizey said, it should make the most of new technology. "In education, universities and colleges are already using massive online courses, so lectures and courses can reach a much wider audience, costing less. Could schools benefit from similar innovations?" he said.