HC Deb 16 July 1998 vol 316 c300W
Dr. Cable

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what steps his Department takes to publicise the educational benefits of the Internet. [50649]

Dr. Howells

The Government have announced a major initiative to connect schools to the Internet through the National Grid for Learning. Plans were set out in "Connecting the Learning Society", which was published last Autumn and circulated widely within the education service, industry and other interested parties. The Government are supporting in 1998–99 through the Standards Fund and other means over £100 million for the development of the National Grid for Learning.

The educational benefits of networking and the Internet were established and disseminated widely through the outcomes of the Education Departments' Superhighways Initiative, "Preparing for the Information Age", published last year.

Further advice on the educational benefits of the Internet is contained in "Connecting Schools, Networking People", published by the British Educational Communications and Technology Agency. This contains procurement, planning and good practice guidance in the use of information and communications technologies in schools.

Copies of all the above documents are available in the Library.