HC Deb 17 November 1981 vol 13 c100W
Mrs. Renée Short

asked the Secretary of State for Industry if he is satisfied that there will be a microcomputer in every school by 1982; and when he expects to extend the scheme to primary schools.

Mr. Wakeham

Some 1,900 applications have now been processed under the Department of Industry micros in schools scheme. When the scheme opened in June the Department estimated there could be between 2,500 and 3,000 secondary schools without micro equipment. The Secretary of State is confident progress so far suggests we are well on the way to meeting the first objective of a microcomputer in every secondary school by the end of 1982. From 1 January 1982 those secondary schools which already had equipment can also participate in the scheme.

The Secretary of State hopes it will prove possible to develop the scheme for primary schools within the next year.