HC Deb 25 February 2004 vol 418 cc53-4WS
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Office of the Deputy Prime Minister (Phil Hope)

The Government announced on 12 February that £220 million of e-Government funding is being allocated to support further local authorities. in England to e-enable their priority services by 2005. An additional £28 million is to be allocated to specific projects focusing on the national roll out of the National Projects and the take-up of e-services.

This money should assist all local authorities to deliver our shared target of e-enabling all priority services by end of 2005. We are beginning to see the results of the various projects across the country and this funding gives local authorities the support they need to deliver further improved e-services for the people in their area. Local authorities have been developing and improving their services using IT to give their customers the modern services they want and need. This support will help them to continue to improve and increase the use their customers make of them.

All local authorities will receive £500K over the next two years (£350k in 04/05 and £150k in 05/06 subject to submitting satisfactory Implementing Electronic Government progress reports). In addition to these flat rate payments, there will be extra non-financial help available to councils to help them meet the target.

Copies of the press notice announcing this funding are available on the Office's website atwww.odpm.gov.uk.