16 awards from the British History Programme have just been announced, and again ICT plays a part - proving that technology is not the enemy of traditional library services. The People's Network programme is also, of course, of very great interest to the Department for Education and Employment, with which my Department works very closely. The People's Network complements the DfEE's new Learning Centres Programme, which aims to create learning centres in deprived areas. I am pleased to note that some of these centres are in public libraries. As well as developing learning centres, we are also looking at new ways to bring ICT and the information revolution into the home.
Digital television is very relevant here.
The wide and expanding range of digital TV channels will allow broadcasters to provide highly specialised educational and non-educational material, tailored to meet the needs of all interest groups. The equipment required to view digital TV programmes also brings with it the potential for Internet access, thus allowing interactive services to be provided. Some people are already speculating about the role of the library learning centre once the Internet is in everyone's home. I think such concerns are, at best, premature. There is a large and immediate task to be undertaken by public libraries and other institutions offering learning centre services, and that is to give all of us the opportunity to acquire at least the basic knowledge to enable us to search the Net with confidence.