The UK has been ranked ninth in a global poll that assesses how well countries are capitalising on information technology.

The UK has risen one place this year, in the World Economic Forum’s Networked Readiness Index (NRI) 2006-2007.

The US was knocked off the top position and plummeted to seventh in the league. Denmark climbed from third to first while Sweden moved to second from eighth and Finland moved from fifth to fourth.

Irene Mia, senior economist and co-editor of the report, says the Nordic countries success in capitalising on technology is attributable to shared characteristics including an early governmental focus on education and innovation and a regulatory environment conducive to technology.

‘Denmark, in particular, has benefited from a very effective government e-leadership, reflected in early liberalisation of the telecommunications sector, a first-rate regulatory framework and large availability of e-government services,’ she said.

The US's decline is being attributed to a deterioration of the political and regulatory environment the report says, although it leads in innovation and the efficiency of its market environment and the availability of venture capital and sophisticated financial markets.

Carrie Hartnell, programme manager at IT trade association Intellect, says the UK could use the index to learn how it should use IT.

‘We are doing some things right as we have moved up a place in the index, but there are lessons to be learned. We need to be more joined up and have greater coordination between the government, education and business,’ she said.

Hartnell says the government’s focus should not just be on delivering its services.

‘The government needs to be engaged with industry,’ she said. 'As a society we need a different focus and a different set of initiatives. For example, making sure the country is media literate, promoting social inclusion and assisting SMEs.'