A new "Right to Government Data": publishing government datasets online, and enabling the public to obtain them. This proposal reflects the "Right to Data" introduced by the Obama administration, and the manifesto claims it will create £6 billion in additional value for the UK.

Super-fast (100 Mbps) broadband to be extended across most of the UK. The party claims that this is 50 times faster than speeds under the Labour government's proposed broadband network and would make the UK a centre for the creative industries. The Conservatives would not introduce the fixed-line levy proposed by Labour, but would seek to attract private sector investment by relaxing regulation to make it easier for companies to get permission to lay network infrastructure. The manifesto repeats a promise that if the market does not deliver super-fast broadband by 2012, a Conservative government would consider using the proportion of the BBC licence fee dedicated to digital switchover to finance super-fast broadband roll-out under a new BBC licence fee settlement.

A freeze on major new IT spending, and immediate negotiations to achieve cost reductions from major suppliers. The Conservatives plan to open up the £200 billion government procurement budget to small and medium-sized enterprises by publishing online all government tender documents for contracts worth over £10,000, and breaking up large IT projects into smaller components.

A small IT development team or "skunkworks" in government that could develop low-cost IT applications in-house and advise on the procurement of large projects. A "skunkworks" is a small, near secret unit within a large organisation, which is protected from the internal bureaucracy and given a free rein to be creative.

Government spending will be opened up to public scrutiny: all items of central-government expenditure over £25,000 will be published online, as well as the salaries of senior civil servants in central government.

A smart energy grid to enable a huge increase in the use of renewable energy technologies, and investment in the next generation of wind, marine and carbon-capture technologies.

R&D tax credits to be retained but simplified and refocused on high-tech companies, small businesses and new start-ups.

Government websites to be opened up to involve the public in the legislative process, enabling comments to be made on Bills and potential problems to be spotted before legislation is enacted.

Restrictions preventing local newspapers from owning other local media platforms to be removed, and a new network of local television stations to be created. Rules on funding for local authority newspapers to be tightened.

The Human Rights Act to be replaced with a UK Bill of Rights, and the powers of the Information Commissioner to be strengthened.

A universal broadband service of at least 2 Mbps and a £6-per-year fixed-line duty to fund this (the government was forced to drop this proposal in order to secure the Conservatives' agreement to the passage of the Digital Economy Bill (see Legal update, Government drops landline tax)).

A new Institute of Web Science, which will work with the government and business to realise the social and economic benefits of advances in the web, headed by Sir Tim Berners-Lee.

Support for "the industries of the future", defined as low carbon, biotechnology, advanced bioscience and cutting-edge advanced manufacturing.

A new UK Life Sciences Super Cluster, and encouragement for businesses to benefit from the introduction of the "Patent Box", a reduced rate of corporation tax applied to income from patents taken out in the UK.

The NHS IT programme to be scaled down, but the ID card scheme to be retained.

A merged British Film Institute and UK Film Council to be created, establishing a single body to promote film production and film heritage.

Subject to state-aid clearance, tax relief for the UK video games industry.

Funding for three regional news programme pilots from the digital switchover under-spend (as with the fixed-line duty, the government was forced to drop this proposal to secure the Conservatives' agreement to the passage of the Digital Economy Bill (see Legal update, Government drops provision for wider Ofcom powers and replacement regional TV news providers from Digital Economy Bill)).

Updating the intellectual property framework on which the creative industries depend and taking further action to tackle online piracy.

Scrap ID cards and the next generation of biometric passports.

Support the rollout of super-fast broadband, targeted first at those areas which are least likely to be provided for by the market.

Ensure that the BBC remains strong, free from interference and securely funded. Ensure that the BBC does not undermine the viability of other media providers through unfair competition based on its public funding and dominant position.

Maintain independent local sources of news and information by enabling partnerships between TV, radio and newspaper companies to reduce costs, and by limiting publicly subsidised competition for paid advertising by local authority free-sheets.

Cut red tape for putting on live music. Reintroduce the rule allowing two performers of unamplified music in any licensed premises without the need for an entertainment licence, allow licensed venues for up to 200 people to host live music without the need for an entertainment licence, and remove the requirement for schools to apply for a licence.