Lib Dems call for urgent reduction in Microsoft prices for Welsh schools

8.23.48am GMT Tue 16th Jan 2007

The Welsh Liberal Democrat Spokesperson for Cardiff West, Alison Goldsworthy has joined those calling on Microsoft to give schools a better deal on its new software products like Vista and Office 2007.

A report from Becta, the British Educational Communications and Technology Agency, has dubbed Microsoft's charging policies for UK schools inappropriate, and has said that Microsoft "is locking schools into using its products with 'unaffordable' licenses".

"Becta has said that 70% of schools and colleges do not realise how much Microsoft's perpetual software licences will actually cost them. Many have added that the payments will be difficult to afford," said Alison Goldsworthy, the challenger to Rhodri Morgan in Cardiff West. "It seems that Microsoft is charging according to the number of computers in a school - regardless of whether the computers in question can actually run their new software. That is why I am supporting the call for the Office of Fair Trading to look at this deal urgently, and why I agree with Becta's advice to schools to avoid buying this software until Microsoft reduce their prices."

"Supplying schools gives Microsoft huge brand recognition with young people who will be the consumers and decision-makers of the near future. That is why they should remember that nothing is forever in the marketplace, and that if they want to see off the likes of Google, they need to ensure that they keep supplying our schools. Reducing their prices would make good commercial sense."