HC Deb 07 March 2000 vol 345 c576W
Mr. Bob Russell

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what progress has been made towards the provision of computers on loan as outlined in his speech of 28 October 1999 to the United Kingdom Internet Summit. [112642]

Mr. Wills

The Government are making £15 million available for a pilot scheme—`Computers Within Reach'—to enable those who cannot afford new computers to acquire reconditioned computers for use in the home on a loaned or owned basis for the purpose of improving their employment prospects, for lifelong learning, or for their children's homework. The pilot scheme will run from May, and evaluation findings of the initiative will be made available in due course.