To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will support the roll-out of information and communication technologies and approaches to core skill development training currently applied in social inclusion partnerships.

The Executive has already put in place a range of national initiatives to develop the use of information and communication technologies (ICT) and approaches to core skills training across Scotland. The Executive is committed to achieving universal access to the internet through its digital inclusion strategy and under the Public Internet Access Points Initiative we are creating over 1,000 new public internet access facilities. We have also committed substantial funding to Community Learning Partnerships across Scotland, which is enabling the delivery of a wide range of community-based programmes to develop individual ICT skills. In addition, Executive funding is also assisting such partnerships to develop and implement Literacies Action Plans. The activity in social inclusion partnership areas therefore complements these national initiatives.