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Frequently Asked Questions about the Digital Divide |
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1. What is PAT 15?
18 Policy Action Teams (PATs) were set up to look at a wide range of issues impacting
on social exclusion in deprived communities. PAT number 15 looked at the role of
information and communication technologies (ICTs) in tackling social exclusion. It
made 37 wide ranging recommendations. Progress to date is reported as part of the
Action Plan under the National Strategy for Neighbourhood Renewal (NSNR) published on
the Social Exclusion Unit Website in January 2001.
Social Exclusion Unit
http://www.cabinet-office.gov.uk/seu
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2. What is ICT?
Modern Information and Communication Technologies. These include WAP
phones, personal computers, multimedia, digital television, broadband
access etc.
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3. What is the Government's overall vision?
The Prime Minister has made clear the challenge of making the UK the world's leading Internet
economy. This vision extends to learning, community life and the availability of services online.
The Government is committed to ensuring that by 2005 everyone who wants to has the opportunity to
access the Internet.
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4. What is the 'digital divide'?
This is the potential difference between those who have regular and
easy access to ICT and those who don't and their ability to live a
full and successful life. The Government is committed to narrowing
this gap through a range of activities as set out in the Policy Action
Team (PAT 15) report. This includes initiatives such as UK online
centres, Wired
up Communities,Ufiand learndirect.
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5. How serious is the challenge of the digital divide?
The risk of the digital divide is real, with just 18% of those in low socio-economic groups having a
computer at home compared to 65% of those in the higher social groups. The recent Policy
Action Team report (PAT 15) highlighted the danger of excluding people at a time when banking,
government, job and other services are increasingly available online.
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6. Are there targets?
The following announcements and targets form part of the Government's strategy to close the digital
divide:
- The Prime Minister has given a commitment that, by 2005, all those who want it will have the opportunity
to access the Internet.
- The Policy Action Team 15 report ('Closing the Digital Divide' - published March 2000) recommended
that by April 2002 each deprived neighbourhood should have at least one publicly accessible
community-based facility to complement any home access.
- In September 2000 the Prime Minister launched UK online and
set a target of having 6,000 UK online centres nation-wide by
2002.
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7. What are the main policies to provide ICT access and learning?
UK on-line
centres, Ufi
& learndirect
and Wired up
Communities all contribute to making ICT locally accessible in
disadvantaged communities.
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8. What is a disadvantaged community?
For the PAT 15 report, 44 local authority areas were recognised as
disadvantaged areas. Disadvantaged communities often have low employment,
a higher percentage of people with low basic skills and a high level
of poverty.
The Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions' (DETR)
Index
of Local Deprivation provides a key source of information about
deprived areas. The Index has recently been updated to include 1996
data and take into account new local authority boundaries. The index
is produced at three levels: local authority district, ward and enumeration
district (ED).
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9. How will UK online help to support adults in disadvantaged communities?
By 2002 UK online centres will offer widespread public access to ICT. However, it is those people
living and working in the most disadvantaged communities who have the most pressing need. That is
why the first capital Modernisation Funded UK online centres are in the poorest neighbourhoods.
They are being set up in convenient locations such as libraries, pubs and sports centres;
providing a local place, for local people. The aim is to bridge the gap between those in society
who have access to ICT and those who do not.
For your local UK online centre contact the freephone number: 08080 100 400.
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10. What is e-commerce?
The Government's broad definition of e-commerce is: The exchange of information across electronic
networks, at any stage in the supply chain, whether within an organisation, between businesses,
between businesses and consumers, or between public and private sectors, whether paid or unpaid.
The Governments aim is for the UK to become the world leader in e-commerce.
The strategy is set out in e
- commerce @ it's best (Sept. 1999 ).
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