§ Mr. Alasdair MorganTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how much funding is available from(a) Government and (b) other sources for (i) the Computers Within Reach Scheme and (ii) other schemes designed to assist people on low incomes participate in the information age. [131792]
§ Mr. WillsThe Government are making £15 million available for a pilot scheme in England—"Computers Within Reach"—to enable those who cannot afford new computers to acquire reconditioned computers for use in the home for the purpose of improving their employment prospects, for lifelong learning, and potentially for their children's homework. We are currently assessing which locations will be included in the pilot projects and details will be announced later this year. £252 million of funding from the Capital Modernisation Fund (CMF) is being used to set up around 700 ICT Learning Centres across England. This will be complemented by £77.5 million of New Opportunities Fund money to provide revenue support and develop Community Grids for Learning. Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland received £70 million of CMF funding in the March 1999 Budget for use in similar schemes.
In autumn 2000, the University for Industry (UfI) will become operational using the brand name 'learndirect' for its products and services. It will develop a network of some 1,000 'learndirect' centres by spring 2001. The DfEE has allocated £84 million in 2000–01 to support Ufl's development and implementation plans and the development and management of the learndirect information and advice line.
We do not have available figures on the funding from other sources.