Following announcements in the Budget about making Britain more e-friendly, the government has announed further plans to bridge 'the digital divide'.

Patricia Hewitt and Learning and Technology Minister Michael Wills have launched 'Closing the Digital Divide' a report by the Policy Action Team 15 (PAT 15). They also announced a new initiative that will track access to new technologies, giving an annual snapshot of e-Britain.

The Government warned that people living in our most deprived neighbourhoods risk being excluded from new technologies like the internet and email and outlined the ways the Government will tackle the digital divide.

Ms Hewitt said "To prosper nationally and compete globally we need to empower all our people to play an active part in society. That it why it is vitally important that everyone has access to new and emerging technologies like the internet and email".

The Prime Minister recently set the target of everyone in the UK having an email address by 2005.

"We cannot risk leaving behind people living in our poorest communities. We must close the digital divide so everyone can reap the benefits of living in an e-nation. Government, business and voluntary and community organisations must work more closely together to help achieve this aim."