▁in ▁the ▁ 1 9 9 7 ▁Labour ▁Party ▁manif esto ▁to ▁support ▁adult ▁education ▁with ▁a ▁system ▁of ▁tax ▁in cent ives ▁from ▁employ ers , ▁as ▁well ▁as ▁a ▁c ash ▁contribution ▁of ▁£ 1 5 0 ▁to ▁each ▁of ▁a ▁million ▁individuals . ▁The ▁system ▁was ▁bi ased ▁towards ▁the ▁u pt ake ▁of ▁information ▁technology ▁skills , ▁following ▁the ▁emer gence ▁of ▁the ▁Internet . ▁ ▁Original ▁scheme ▁ ▁The ▁scheme ▁was ▁announced ▁by ▁the ▁Chan cell or ▁of ▁the ▁Ex che quer , ▁Gordon ▁Brown ▁in ▁the ▁ 1 9 9 9 ▁budget ▁and ▁was ▁launched ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 0 ▁in ▁the ▁form ▁of ▁financial ▁re imb urs es ▁to ▁educational ▁course ▁prov iders ▁for ▁the ▁cost ▁of ▁the ▁I LA ▁in cent ives . ▁ ▁By ▁the ▁time ▁the ▁scheme ▁was ▁abandoned ▁in ▁October ▁ 2 0 0 1 , ▁there ▁were ▁ 8 , 5 0 0 ▁acc red ited ▁prov iders ▁nation wide . ▁The ▁Department ▁for ▁Education ▁and ▁Sk ills ▁was ▁investig ating ▁ 2 7 9 ▁prov iders ▁on ▁the ▁basis ▁of ▁substantial ▁evidence ▁of ▁miss elling , ▁and ▁police ▁had ▁arrested ▁ 3 0 ▁people . ▁▁ ▁Pro sec utions ▁based ▁on ▁this ▁fra ud ▁were ▁still ▁taking ▁place ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 8 . ▁ ▁Cap ita ▁was ▁the ▁contract or ▁that ▁implemented ▁the ▁payment ▁scheme . ▁Following ▁its ▁investigation , ▁the ▁Parliament ary ▁Committee ▁of ▁Public ▁Account s ▁reported ▁that ▁the ▁total ▁exp end iture ▁on ▁the