§ Lynne JonesTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, pursuant to her answer of 8 March 2002,Official Report, column 633W, what the total cost was of the Computers Within Reach pilot scheme; how 255W much funding remains; what evaluation has been made of the success of the scheme; and how this will inform future policy on the computers within reach concept. [43326]
§ John HealeyTo date, the Computers Within Reach scheme has cost just under £5.5 million, leaving £9.5 million of Capital Modernisation Funding (CMF) for a further phase or alternative scheme.
An external research evaluation has been carried out and the final report was received recently. This indicates the scheme successfully reached target groups and contributed positively to increased use of ICT among recipients and their families.
This report has contributed to our overall evaluation of the scheme and future policy will take this into consideration as well as the value for money of recycled computers compared with new ones and the technical and logistical issues that affect the recycled computer market.