Online Services (Hansard, 26 June 2000)

§ Mr. Wills

The Department for Education and Employment has made a good start on an ambitious programme of work, making innovative use of new technology in the delivery of our services.

We currently provide a range of services electronically that include: Childcare Link-internet access to joined-up information on childcare from a number of organisations; The National Grid for Learning, including the Virtual Teachers' Centre and Parents' Website; The European Social Fund, where the application and administration process is electronically enabled, and we are developing an enhanced service to applicants allowing the completion and return of the electronic application over the internet, reducing bureaucracy and providing a better service to customers; and The National Careers Service Extranet is a password-protected site for DfEE and the Careers Services National Association to communicate with Careers Service companies and other organisations for sharing information and good practice. With the 418W development of the Connexions Service, the scope of the Extranet is to be broadened to allow access/use by a range of other partners including youth organisations. The Learning and Work Bank, an internet site to be available from the end of November 2000, will provide integrated access to information about jobs, learning opportunities and careers. The Employment Service will provide and maintain a Job Bank with all ES vacancies, which will be an essential component of the Learning and Work Bank. By the end of 2000, employers will be able to notify the ES of vacancies for inclusion on the Job Bank by calling a single national telephone number. Touch-screen kiosks will be introduced into Jobcentres between November 2000 and November 2001, which will provide job seekers with direct access to the Job Bank. The Job Bank will also be accessible from home by those with internet access. Equality Direct is a cross-cutting project on which the DfEE is working with the three Equality Commissions and the DTI. The service is part of the Modernising Government agenda aimed to respond more directly to business needs for information and advice on equal opportunities issues. The proposal is, by September 2000, to launch a pilot telephone advice-line England wide, an internet website, and in more limited locations, local support teams to provide direct assistance to small and medium sized businesses. We are keen to use new innovative interactive technologies to support learning and teaching. The UfI's "learndirect" online learning, support and information and advice services will be launched nationally later this year and my Secretary of State recently announced an e-universities initiative to develop a portfolio of courses suitable for delivery over the internet and pilot projects for the delivery of courses in Mathematics, Latin and Japanese for 11–14 year olds (Key Stage 3). These projects complement other pilots in the use of interactive digital TV to deliver GCSE courses and the GridClub pupil centre for 7–11 year olds to be launched in September over a range of platforms and technologies. The virtual arm of the National College for School Leadership, due to open this autumn, will establish new networks within the teaching profession. We are developing a smart card for 16–19 year olds in education which will give access to a range of transport, leisure and commercial discounts. The first Youth Cards will be issued in autumn 2000 with functionality being added incrementally during 2001–02. As part of the drive to improve our contacts with employers, and to give them a new channel of communication, we have set up an e-mail forum for small to medium sized firms. This forum will improve our communication with employers on skills, development and key employment issues. We are also keen to maximise the opportunities presented by new technologies to speed up and simplify processes. Our proposal to develop an online application process for student support will provide an initial eligibility application form on the internet and the electronic exchange of data in 2000. We are also developing a paperless applications process for work permits which will ensure we provide a swift and efficient service, where the facility to receive electronic applications will be introduced early in 2001. Automated collection of statistical information will reduce the administrative burden on schools. A small pilot trial of the use of internet technologies to collect data from the education sector is under way. If the pilot is successful, all data collection, except where schools prefer to use paper returns, will be electronic by April 2002. The prototype of a national electronic delivery and archiving service providing online DfEE information to schools and LEAs was successful and continues to be used by the growing pilot population. In particular, the use of 'Push' technology directs users to items matching their interest profile. A national service will be introduced in September 2000, reducing bureaucracy and the administrative burden.