Prime minister launches computer initiative

12:20 24th September 2008

Gordon Brown has launched a £300 million initiative aimed at closing the digital divide, which will supply computer equipment, broadband connections and technical advice to low-income households.

During his keynote speech at the Labour Party conference in Manchester, Mr Brown announced plans for a one-off educational technical allowance of £700 for England's one million poorest families.

The policy move comes after concerns that deprived children are losing out because they do not have access to computers, particularly when 90 per cent of jobcentre advertisements now require some computer experience.

The prime minister told Labour Party delegates that this funding will "enable parents to link with teachers at their children's schools and help young people with their homework and coursework".

The programme will be piloted by two local authority areas later this year and rolled out across the country in 2010 and 2011.

Earlier this week, the research firm IDC predicted that worldwide demand for laptops will continue to grow over the next couple of years.

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