HC Deb 07 February 2001 vol 362 cc581-2W
Mr. Mudie

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how many people broken down by area have obtained computers under the Computers Within Reach Scheme. [148736]

Mr. Wills

As of 9 February, the number of computers that will have been delivered to customers of the first phase of the pilot scheme for Computers Within Reach by area is as follows: 800 Liverpool, 120 Manchester, 50 Sheffield area, 50 Plymouth, 60 Hull and 10 in the London area.

The scheme is currently in its first phase and the regional contractors in other areas have been signing up customers, putting the required infrastructure in place for deliveries and customer training and plan to start deliveries within the next two weeks. Currently the phase one contracts allow for the delivery of 35,000 computers.

It is proposed that there will be 5,000 customers in that part of the first phase pilot being undertaken in Leeds in the following post codes: LS2, LS3, LS4, LS5, LS6, LS7, LS8, LS9, LS10, LS11, LS12, LS13, LS14, LS15, LS16, LS17, LS18, LS19, LS20. Deliveries are expected to start later this week or early next week, as soon as the accompanying printers are received by the contractor.