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date: 3 April 2006

embargo: immediate

TUC welcome for signs of HCI rethink

TUC General Secretary, Brendan Barber, has welcomed signs that the Treasury is considering a replacement for the Home Computing Initiative, which was scrapped in the budget.

Mr Barber wrote last week to the Chancellor calling for a rethink.

Mr Barber said, 'The Home Computing Initiative has helped thousands of low paid workers without confident IT skills buy their first ever computer. Unions up and down the country have been promoting the scheme, often linked to training schemes. The sudden closure of the scheme would mean that many hours of voluntary union effort would go to waste.

'While we think stories of its abuse have been exaggerated, we would have no problem with a new scheme that targeted assistance more effectively. Tighter rules on what the money could be used for, stopping higher rate tax payers and reducing the amount that can be spent on hardware to ensure that the help goes towards reasonable standard entry level PCs, while keeping an element for training and support on top should all be explored.'

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Contacts:

Media enquiries: Ben Hurley T: 020 7467 1248; M: 07881 622416 ; E: bhurley@tuc.org.uk
Liz Chinchen T: 020 7467 1248; M: 07778 158175; E: media@tuc.org.uk

Press release (300 words) issued 3 Apr 2006