Asked by: Lord Stevenson of Balmacara (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what involvement they have in Community Fibre Partnerships; and what assessment they have made of the impact of that scheme on the cost to consumers of better broadband connections.
Answered by Baroness Barran - Shadow Minister (Education)
Community-led schemes, including Community Fibre Partnerships, allow a group of premises to work together to upgrade their broadband connection through a joint funding arrangement with any broadband supplier who offers it. Community Fibre Partnerships can be successful in lowering the cost of improving broadband connections across a community, such schemes are not government run or administered. A Community Fibre Partnership is specifically only offered by Openreach and is but one example of a community-led broadband scheme. Such community-led schemes can take a variety of different forms to help suit the needs of the individual community. Further details of such schemes can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/community-led-broadband-schemes/introduction-to-community-led-schemes.
There are a variety of funding sources to help communities commence a community-led scheme. The Government has set out a number of alternative schemes to help businesses and residents upgrade their broadband connection through a community partnership.
A rural component of the Scheme launched in May 2019 with funding provided through the Rural Gigabit Connectivity (RGC) programme. Up to £3,500 is available to rural SMEs and up to £1,500 for rural premises is available to support the installation of gigabit-capable broadband when part of a group scheme. These vouchers can be used in community broadband projects to offset the cost of installing gigabit-capable connectivity that communities would otherwise wholly fund themselves.
Asked by: Lord Stevenson of Balmacara (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask Her Majesty's Government how many individuals have enquired about the availability of higher speed broadband under the Universal Service Obligation launched on 20 March.
Answered by Baroness Barran - Shadow Minister (Education)
The broadband Universal Service Obligation (USO) provides every household with the legal right to request a broadband connection that provides download speeds of at least 10Mbps and an upload speed of at least 1Mbps, where this is not already available commercially.
Performance monitoring of the Universal Service Obligation is the responsibility of Ofcom. Chapter 9 of the Universal Service Statement by Ofcom sets out the reporting requirements for Universal Service Providers (BT and KCOM) who will be required to report at least every six months on the number of USO requests received, the number of requests accepted, the number of Confirmed Orders received that involved a customer agreeing to pay excess costs and the number of requests rejected by the Universal Service Provider including an explanation of the reason why.
As the Universal Service Obligation launched on 20 March 2020, no statistics on its progress have yet been published by Ofcom.
Asked by: Lord Stevenson of Balmacara (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what is the average cost quoted to individuals who have sought a better broadband connection under the Universal Service Obligation launched on 20 March.
Answered by Baroness Barran - Shadow Minister (Education)
The broadband Universal Service Obligation (USO) provides every household with the legal right to request a broadband connection that provides download speeds of at least 10Mbps and an upload speed of at least 1Mbps, where this is not already available commercially.
Performance monitoring of the Universal Service Obligation is the responsibility of Ofcom. Chapter 9 of the Universal Service Statement by Ofcom sets out the reporting requirements for Universal Service Providers (BT and KCOM) who will be required to report at least every six months on the number of USO requests received, the number of requests accepted, the number of Confirmed Orders received that involved a customer agreeing to pay excess costs and the number of requests rejected by the Universal Service Provider including an explanation of the reason why.
As the Universal Service Obligation launched on 20 March 2020, no statistics on its progress have yet been published by Ofcom.
Asked by: Lord Stevenson of Balmacara (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for International Trade:
To ask Her Majesty's Government how many (1) personal confidentiality agreements, and (2) non-disclosure agreements the Department for International Trade has signed with (a) businesses, (b) individuals, and (c) third parties advising, the department on its response to COVID 19.
Answered by Lord Grimstone of Boscobel
The Department for International Trade has not signed any personal confidentiality agreements, nor non-disclosure agreements with businesses, individuals nor third parties advising HM Government on its response to COVID-19.
Asked by: Lord Stevenson of Balmacara (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for International Trade:
To ask Her Majesty's Government how many civil servants in the Department for International Trade are dedicated to trade negotiations with (1) the United States, (2) Japan, and (3) Australia. [T]
Answered by Lord Grimstone of Boscobel
The Department for International Trade’s Trade Policy Group (TPG) has a strong core of trade policy officials which has significantly grown from 45 to 723 (excluding the Export Control Joint Unit and Trade Remedies Investigations Directorate) since 2016. In TPG, we have dedicated teams in charge of coordinating each of our new free trade agreement negotiations, including the US, Japan, Australia, and New Zealand. We have 3 Chief Negotiators and 3 Deputy Chief Negotiators currently, as well as the Government’s Chief Trade Negotiation Advisor.
Trade negotiations will be progressed by teams of differing sizes depending on their complexity and the Department also works closely with experts in other Departments.
Asked by: Lord Stevenson of Balmacara (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made, as part of their preparations for exiting the transition period, of the economic viability of UK venues booking acts from EU member states for live music events and studio performances.
Answered by Baroness Barran - Shadow Minister (Education)
DCMS has engaged extensively with union bodies, artists and cultural organisations to help understand the needs of the creative and cultural sector on their preparations for the ending of the transition period. We understand the diverse circumstances of companies, organisations and individual practitioners and how they may need to adapt as the transition period ends.
We will continue to work with these stakeholders in the coming months and we will continue to keep Parliament informed with analysis at appropriate times in a way that does not impede our ability to strike the best deal for the UK.
Asked by: Lord Stevenson of Balmacara (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the impact of COVID-19 on live music events, what plans they have to consult with music industry representatives on how that sector can be supported through amendments to the Immigration Rules.
Answered by Baroness Williams of Trafford - Shadow Chief Whip (Lords)
The Government continues to engage with the creative sector to ensure the future immigration system will enable the UK’s cultural life to continue to thrive.
Currently, visiting artists, entertainers and musicians can perform at events, take part in competitions and auditions, make personal appearances and take part in promotional activities for up to 6 months without the need for formal sponsorship or a work visa.
Artists wishing to come to the UK for longer-term work will need to do so under the future points-based system. There will continue to be special arrangements for creative workers, which in future will encompass both EEA and non-EEA citizens.
Asked by: Lord Stevenson of Balmacara (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government whether, as part of their ongoing negotiations with the EU, they have considered arrangements for short-term business visits; and whether musicians and their crews will be included in any such scheme.
Answered by Lord True - Shadow Leader of the House of Lords
We are open to negotiating reciprocal arrangements to facilitate business visits to deliver services, building on provisions that are standard in trade agreements.
A reciprocal agreement based on best precedent will mean that UK citizens will be able to undertake some business activities in the EU without a work permit, on a short-term basis. The same would apply for EU citizens making business visits to the UK.
Asked by: Lord Stevenson of Balmacara (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the likelihood of any restrictions introduced on EU musicians touring in the UK following the completion of the transition period being reciprocated for UK musicians touring in the EU.
Answered by Baroness Barran - Shadow Minister (Education)
DCMS has engaged extensively with union bodies, artists and cultural organisations to help understand the needs of the creative and cultural sector on their preparations for the ending of the transition period. We understand the diverse circumstances of companies, organisations and individual practitioners and how they may need to adapt as the transition period ends.
On temporary entry for business purposes (mode 4) as part of a free trade agreement, we want a reciprocal agreement that would enable UK citizens will be able to undertake some paid business activities in the EU without a work permit, on a short-term basis. The precise details, including range of activities, documentation needed, and the time limit, is a matter for negotiation
We are confident that such a free trade agreement based on friendly cooperation can be achieved.
However, in all circumstances, we expect UK musicians’ work to continue to be an export that is highly valued in the EU as it is across the world.
We will continue to work with these stakeholders in the coming months and we will continue to keep Parliament informed with analysis at appropriate times in a way that does not impede our ability to strike the best deal for the UK.
Asked by: Lord Stevenson of Balmacara (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the commercial and cultural cases for facilitating continued ease of movement for musicians between the UK and EU; and what steps they are taking to ensure that this is reflected in the Immigration Rules.
Answered by Baroness Williams of Trafford - Shadow Chief Whip (Lords)
The Government continues to engage with the creative sector to ensure the future immigration system will enable the UK’s cultural life to continue to thrive.
Currently, visiting artists, entertainers and musicians can perform at events, take part in competitions and auditions, make personal appearances and take part in promotional activities for up to 6 months without the need for formal sponsorship or a work visa.
Artists wishing to come to the UK for longer-term work will need to do so under the future points-based system. There will continue to be special arrangements for creative workers, which in future will encompass both EEA and non-EEA citizens.