Rural Areas: Superfast Broadband

Debate between Lord Ashton of Hyde and Lord Harrison

Tuesday 11th July 2017 Lords Chamber

[Lord Ashton of Hyde]

At the moment, anyone with a connection of less than two megabits per second is entitled under the better broadband scheme to have subsidised access to it. If they are above that but below superfast level, the universal service obligation will be in place by 2020, which will give them 10 megabits per second, and that will allow them to do normal things such as emails and streaming TV.

[Lord Harrison (Lab)]

My Lords, the Minister knows rural Cheshire well. Will he ensure that superfast broadband will aid and abet small businesses to establish themselves in the countryside so that they can strengthen the countryside for the benefit of all those who live there?