The poorest million families in England could receive a free laptop, the minister revealed.

A taskforce consisting of public and private bodies recommended this move when presenting advice to the schools minister Jim Knight. Commissioned in 2007 to consider how to end the digital divide, they said basic laptops could help deprived children access online school learning resources to do their homework.

Knight said he will now consider the taskforce’s advice, discuss it with other government departments and will make a full announcement on it in the autumn.

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