§ Dr. KumarTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if she will make a statement on the number of schools with internet access(a) nationally and (b) in boroughs of (i) Middlesbrough, (ii) Redcar and (iii) Cleveland; and what were the Department's targets in each case. [16214]
§ John HealeyStatistics published by the Department for Education and Skills in October show that 97 per cent. of schools in England are now connected to the internet; significant progress from a position where only 28 per cent. were connected in 1998. Our target is that every school should have access to the internet in 2002.
The Department does not maintain information about internet access in schools on a regional or local basis.