Mark has written to every primary school in Edinburgh North and Leith to encourage them to take part in a new IT competition run by the House of Commons.

Pupils aged from 9 to 11 are being challenged to show how IT can be used to make a positive difference to their local community and make it a happier place.

You can find full details of the competition website at www.cc4g.net/makeithappy

It is part of an initiative by the Parliamentary Information Technology Committee (PITCOM) at the House of Commons to showcase the technology talents of the UK’s primary schools.

Mark said:

“I think this is a great idea to encourage pupils to use IT to make people think about key issues like climate change, health or transport and to show how we can all make a real difference in our own communities.

IT is now a vital feature of the work of politicians through, for instance, websites, blogs, facebook and enewsletters to constituents so that they can have more direct contact with the people they represent.

But politics doesn’t just have to be about what happens at Holyrood or Westminster. IT can be an important way to make us all more connected to the people who live alongside us in our local community by providing information and running campaigns.”

The entry can take any one of a variety of forms. In previous years winners have included a website about saving the environment, a rap video on conserving water resources, a film and song to encourage young people to take up sports and a DVD about the work of a local pensioners centre.

The deadline for entries is 31st July 2009.

The panel of judges includes representatives from Microsoft, BBC and Google. Cash prizes provided by the Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET) and the British Computer Society (BCS) will be presented by the Lord Speaker to winning schools at an awards ceremony at the Houses of Parliament on 19th October.

£1,200 will be given to the winning school from each of the English Regions, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. In addition, £4,000, £2,500 and £1,500 will be awarded to those placed 1st, 2nd and 3rd nationally.  Winning schools will be notified in the new academic year.