Few of the people visiting UK Online centres are taking the opportunity to use local or central government services via the Internet

Awareness and use of e-government services through the network of 6,000 UK Online centres is low, according to a survey published by the Department for Education and Skills (DfES).

The centres, which are intended to reduce the digital divide by offering IT training and access to the Internet, are generally willing to participate in initiatives aimed at promoting e-government, but so far it is not proving popular with visitors.

The DfES report is based on feedback from UK Online managers and an online survey of the centres, which are supported by the Treasury's capital modernisation fund.

"The perception is that awareness of e-government services is low amongst centre users, and few people are actively using these types of service," it says "This view is supported by the centres responding to the e-survey, who estimated that just over one in ten users (12 percent), are using the Internet to access information on local or central government services."

However, 90 percent indicated that they would be willing to participate in initiatives aimed at promoting the centres as a resource where people can learn about and access government information.

A small numbe have concerns, despite hopes that the centres could act as an independent provider of e-services. It is likely that over 100 centres, or 2 percent of the total, would not be willing to act as access points for e-government. Around 10 percent fear that participation in an e-government initiative would detract from their core business and result in lost income.

The survey, carried out by researchers at Mori and SQW, coincides with the government's strategy to tackle the digital divide published at the beginning of April 2004. It pledged to take further steps to develop the network of UK Online centres which are to include adult learning initiatives as well as a possible e-government scheme.

The strategy said measures to build on UK Online could include offering communal access points focusing on hard-to-reach groups.

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