A MULTI-MILLION pound Government project to make the Internet more accessible to Bolton people has been given the go-ahead by the Department of Trade and Industry.

The project will look at ways in which technology can be used to improve people's quality of life.

It will focus on users' concerns, and security and privacy in e-commerce, and how these can be included in technology updates.

The partners in the Greater Manchester initiative, known as Project HiSpec, are: The Co-operative Bank, UMIST, Cookson.com of Stockport, the data protection commissioner and two Manchester-based housing associations, Homes for Change and Redbricks.

Keith Girling, director of technology at The Co-operative Bank, said: "This is particularly relevant for people today.

"The very tools that give us quick and easy access to information can leave people and organisations more vulnerable to fraud -- they are concerned about their security and privacy."