Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, with reference to his Department's publication of 1 July 2020 entitled Devices and 4G wireless routers progress data as of 30 June 2020, if he will provide that data in relation to each local authority area in the North East.
The Government has committed over £100 million to support vulnerable and disadvantaged children in England to access remote education and social care services, including by providing laptops, tablets and 4G wireless routers. We are providing laptops and tablets to disadvantaged children who would otherwise not have access and are preparing for examinations in year 10, receiving support from a social worker or are a care leaver. Where care leavers, children with a social worker at secondary school and children in year 10 do not have internet connections, we are providing 4G wireless routers.
The Department has ordered over 200,000 laptops and tablets, and allocated devices to local authorities and academy trusts based on its estimates of the number of eligible children that do not have access to a device. Local authorities and academy trusts are best placed to identify and prioritise children and young people who need devices. The Department has invited all local authorities and academy trusts to order laptops and tablets and 4G wireless routers. As of the end of June, over 200,000 laptops and tablets and over 47,000 4G wireless routers have been delivered to local authorities and academy trusts.
The Department has delivered the following number of devices to local authorities across the North East for children with a social worker, care leavers and disadvantaged year 10s. The Department continues to deliver devices as orders are received.
Local Authority | Devices Delivered or Dispatched | 4G Wireless Routers Delivered or Dispatched | ||
Gateshead | 604 | 81 |
| |
Newcastle upon Tyne | 1827 | 260 |
| |
North Tyneside | 731 | 142 |
| |
South Tyneside | 711 | 130 |
| |
Sunderland | 1130 | 171 |
| |
Hartlepool | 671 | 105 |
| |
Middlesbrough | 961 | 138 |
| |
Redcar and Cleveland | 550 | 148 |
| |
Stockton-on-Tees | 755 | 160 |
| |
County Durham | 1697 | 248 |
| |
Darlington | 410 | 49 |
| |
Northumberland | 976 | 146 |
| |
Total | 11023 | 1778 |
|