§ Bob RussellTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if he will take steps to ensure that computers and other electronic equipment in schools use spell checks with the recognised English spelling of words and not the US spelling. [118876]
§ Mr. Charles ClarkeThis is generally a software issue. Some software applications do not use a UK English spell checker as the default, and it may be necessary to change an option within any particular application so that it does, before deploying and using the software. This default can also be changed after the software has already been installed.
I have asked our agency, the British Educational Communications and Technology Agency (Becta), to provide advice to schools via their ICT Advice website, on how to set generic software to English language setting and also to provide advice to schools on being aware of this issue when purchasing software.