§ Mr. McWilliamasked the Secretary of State for Industry how many applications for VAN—value added network — licences have been approved by his Department; and how many of these involve the application of viewdata.
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§ Mr. ButcherThirty-three companies have registered under the general licence for value added network services. Eight of the proposed systems involve the application of viewdata.
§ Mr. McWilliamasked the Secretary of State for Industry if he will list the demonstration projects involving the application of viewdata which his Department supported during Information Technology Year.
§ Mr. ButcherThe Department supported the following viewdata demonstration projects during Information Technology Year
Seaview—a project linking ship to shore via satellite;Prestel for People—viewdata sets available in public places in the Brighton, Kingston upon Thames and Newcastle upon Tyne areas;Papal visit—to link various key centres which the Pope was to visit when in this country;Coin-operated viewdata sets—in selected libraries;Europort—to establish and test market a database of export opportunities;Club 403—to develop a residential viewdata database and associated test market in the West Midlands;Skyguide—to implement a scheme enabling major airports' plane arrivals and departures to be available in homes and offices;Two of the twenty "office of the future" pilot projects also have significant viewdata content, namely those for the Export Credits Guarantee Department and for British Gas.
In addition, the Department has demonstrated viewdata at a large number of shows, exhibitions, and conferences, and has assisted others to do so.