Brown launches Home Access scheme

Comet, Misco, XMA, Centerprise, Positive IT and BLi Education get the nod as official suppliers

Brown announced the launch of Home Access at the Learning and Technology World Forum today

Gordon Brown today launched the national rollout of the government’s Home Access scheme.

The programme, which will provide free PCs to 270,000 low-income families, will be delivered through six official suppliers: Comet, Misco, XMA, Centerprise, Positive IT and BLi Education.

A pilot was carried out last year in Oldham and Suffolk.

The scheme provides grants to low-income families to buy a PC and/or at least one year’s internet access to help their children learn at home.

Stephen Crowne, chief executive of government technology agency Becta, which is organising the scheme, said: “Equipping our current and future generations with the necessary skills to compete in a digital world is crucial to our future. Through innovative programmes such as Home Access, Becta is driving this development."

BLi Education stressed that it has had experience working in this market, despite not being included in the initial trial.

Chief operating officer Stephen Copeland said: “The senior management team at BLi Education has extensive experience supplying computers to homes, having previously operated a company which managed some of the largest rollouts of the Home Computing Initiative."

Brown announced the launch of Home Access at the Learning and Technology World Forum 2010, which kicked off today.

He said: “This forum is an invaluable opportunity for countries to learn from one another and our collective commitment to worldwide improvement in education will drive up standards and increase opportunities for learners across the world.”