Britain plans to launch a state-backed electronic marketplace, akin to the online auction phenomenon eBay, to help the jobless return to work, drive down prices and generate more business opportunities.
Known as National E-markets, it would use a specialized search engine to display a list of services, grading them by past reliability, location and price, and would expand into sectors as diverse as tuition, vehicle hire, babysitting and overnight accommodation. The system will be run by licensed private contractors.
