§ Harry CohenTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if he will make a statement on progress in providing a laptop computer with in ternet access and ICT support to every teacher(a) in the UK and (b) in Leyton and Wanstead; and when he expects the policy to be fully implemented. [90457]
§ Mr. Charles ClarkeThe Laptops for Teachers initiative launched at the BETT show in January 2002 is open to all eligible teachers in England. To date LEAs have been given £60 million to purchase laptop computers on behalf of their schools and so far over 60,000 laptop computers have been bought.
641WI announced on 9 January 2003 a £195 million extension of this initiative to April 2006, making the total amount of funding £300 million. This will result in two thirds of all eligible teachers benefiting from personal access to a laptop computer over the four year period of this initiative.
In May 2002 Waltham Forest and Redbridge LEAs, who are responsible for Leyton and Wanstead were allocated a total of £597,156 and have to date spent a total of £463,801 purchasing 453 laptop computers.