Coalition urged to invest in laptops for children

Government is being pressed to renew Home Access Scheme

Coalition urged to reopen Home Access Scheme

The coalition government is being urged to renew and widen the Home Access Scheme introduced by Gordon Brown, which provides laptops for the UK's most disadvantaged children.

A fringe meeting at the Liberal Democrat conference organised by Catch 22, a charity which helps youngsters with difficulties, was told that Brown's initiative did not go far enough.

Communications director Pat Thompson told the meeting that youngsters' prospects are damaged by lack of internet access at home because many jobs and services are only made available via the internet.

The Labour government's Home Access Programme was a one off-scheme launched in January this year. The scheme had seen 250,000 applications granted this time last month.

There were funds for a further 11,000 packages at that time.