§ Mr. Win GriffithsTo ask the Secretary of State for Wales (1) what consultations were undertaken with primary schools(a) in drawing up the specifications for the Welsh Office multimedia portables initiative and (b) once the bids were received, on supplying them with hardware and software under the Welsh Office multimedia portables initiative; [20003]
(2) what consultations were undertaken with (a) the Welsh Joint Education Committee, (b) the Wales 747W Curriculum and Assessment Authority and (c) the Welsh Language Board, (i) in drawing up the specifications for the Welsh Office multimedia portables initiative and (ii) once the bids were received, on supplying schools with hardware and software under the Welsh Office multimedia portables initiative. [20005]
§ Mr. RichardsSchools were invited to choose between a multimedia suite and portable computers. Those who chose multimedia were invited to indicate a preference for one of three platforms; those who chose portables to indicate what type of portable. No guarantee was given that the Department would meet first preferences. Further consultation either on detailed technical specifications or post-bid would have been impracticable. The Department was assisted throughout by meetings with local education authority advisers.
§ Mr. GriffithsTo ask the Secretary of State for Wales what consideration he gave for the availability of software that would be operable in the Welsh language when drawing up the specifications for the Welsh Office multimedia portables initiative; and if this was a consideration when the contract for(a) the hardware and (b) the software was offered to Research Machines. [20001]
§ Mr. RichardsCareful consideration was given to this both pre-tender and post-tender. Research Machines has no contract to supply software.
§ Mr. GriffithsTo ask the Secretary of State for Wales (1) if he will make additional finance available for primary schools to train teachers to use the Pentium 75 multimedia personal computers provided under the Welsh Office multimedia portables initiative; [20263]
(2) what estimate he has made of the cost to schools using Acorn personal computers of making full use of Research Machines Pentium personal computers. [20002]
§ Mr. RichardsFunding will be made available under the grants for education support and training programme as planned. Primary schools can draw on the £3 million made available under GEST to promote the use of IT in 1996–97. The platform purchased represents the best buy in overall value-for-money terms.
§ Mr. GriffithsTo ask the Secretary of State for Wales what assessment he made of the capability of Research Machines, under the contract awarded through the Welsh Office multimedia portables initiative, to support the statutory study of the Welsh language in the national curriculum. [20000]
§ Mr. RichardsSupport of this character is for the Department and the Curriculum and Assessment Authority for Wales among others, not for Research Machines.