Trade and Industry secretary Patricia Hewitt wants internet access for all by 2008. In 1998 only 9% of Britons had an internet connection and now by 2003 it is estimated at 50% that is a growth of 41% over 5 years (what a lot of numbers in one sentence).
While this is a nice aim I can't really believe that internet access is a priority for the sort of people I pick up in my ambulance, actually they might be more concerned about not needing to "hotbed" in order to sleep the whole family. I also wonder if the government would be better off housing 100% of the population, or providing work for 100% of the population or even (shock-horror) managing to reduce the frightening rate of child mortality in London, which runs highest at 0.86% in Lewisham (references here)
Of course there is an argument that internet access increases education which then translates into a longer lifespan, but I suspect that most folk won't use the internet to improve their life...but to download porn.