§ Mr. FieldTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment when the bidding process will commence for the second phase of the Computers Within Reach scheme.[138490]
§ Mr. WillsWe shall be extending the scheme in the areas listed in my answer to my right hon. Friend's earlier questions, of 10 November 2000,Official Report, column 437W. We are currently looking at opportunities for integrating the scheme with other related initiatives in disadvantaged areas, details of which will be given as soon as possible. We are also awaiting the evaluation of the first weeks of the scheme before we make final decisions on next steps.
755W
§ Mr. LaxtonTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how many low cost recycled personal computers have been provided to low income families since 1998; how the recipients have been selected; and what evaluation has been carried out of the programme to date.[138635]
§ Mr. WillsI announced the commencement of the Computers Within Reach scheme on 25 October 2000 for those on certain benefits who were seeking to gain or retain employment. The first phase of the scheme will provide up to 35,000 recycled PCs in various areas in England until 31 March 2001. Potential applicants have been asked to contact the free telephone helpline 08080 100 900 in the first instance.
The PCs will be delivered following the applications being processed by the relevant regional contractor. I am writing to all MPs with details of the scheme and the pilot areas to be covered in this first phase. The PCs will be provided in areas where there are locally based groups that made a successful bid to be part of the scheme. The evaluation arrangements are currently being finalised. I will write to my hon. Friend with the outcome of the tender exercise once this has been completed.
The first phase pilots are located in areas within the following locations:
- Birmingham
- Bradford
- Hull
- Leeds
- Knowsley
- Liverpool
- London
- Manchester
- Plymouth
- Portsmouth
- Sheffield