§ Mr. Spearingasked the Secretary of State for Industry what direct contribution of resources he has made to secondary schools in the United Kingdom, or what advice he has given, concerning industrially related equipment since May 1979.
§ Mr. MacGregorThe Department has directly contributed 100 RM380Z micro-computers to secondary schools as prizes in our microcomputer competition an 1980. Incentive prizes will be given to the other schools who entered and a further 26 machines were donated by industry. This competition will take place again in 1981.
The hon. Member will also be aware of the scheme announced on 6 April by my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister to assist local education authorities to provide a microcomputer in every secondary school by the end of 1982. This equipment is clearly industrially related as well as educationally valuable. On the broader front of industrially related equipment such as machine tools, which I know is of concern to the hon. Member, we do not have precise figures. The industry education unit An the Department makes grants to projects which develop links between schools and industry. A proportion of these grants 277W will sometimes be used to purchase equipment. Often equipment is lent or made available to schools by local industry. The particular equipment used is decided upon by the schools and companies participating in projects.