Superfast Broadband
Debate between Lord Vaizey of Didcot and Simon HartWestminster Hall is an alternative Chamber for MPs to hold debates, named after the adjoining Westminster Hall.
Each debate is chaired by an MP from the Panel of Chairs, rather than the Speaker or Deputy Speaker. A Government Minister will give the final speech, and no votes may be called on the debate topic.
This information is provided by Parallel Parliament and does not comprise part of the offical record
Mr Vaizey
I have got my hon. Friend’s point; I am running out of time. We are being ambitious enough for him because we support him. That is why 100% of Torbay will get superfast broadband under our scheme—[Interruption.] Sorry, I got the wrong name—I heard the Chairman give the wrong name!
Simon Hart (Carmarthen West and South Pembrokeshire) (Con)
Before the Minister completes his comments, I should say that there has been a lot of talk about roll-out but not so much about take-up. Will he refer to the fact that, in parts of Wales, take-up of this fantastic scheme is still in the low-20s? Everyone seems to think that that is someone else’s problem, so will he clear that up?
Mr Vaizey
I will. Take-up is extremely important and the good thing is that take-up brings money back into the scheme. For example, the money set aside to get superfast broadband to Cornwall was due to get coverage to 80%, but because of high take-up we have reached 95%.
My hon. Friend the Member for Thirsk and Malton (Kevin Hollinrake)—I got his constituency spectacularly wrong; I hope he will forgive me—mentioned other jurisdictions. He will be pleased to know that the previous Australian Government lost the election because their broadband plan was so poor. If he believes that those Australian plans will happen, he will have to think again. They are busily trying to revise their programme because it was far too expensive and due to deliver far too late.
All my hon. Friends will have the note from the Library that puts us first in almost every category in the big five in the EU. Analysis published today by Enders Analysis again puts us top on access to speeds of 30 megabits. We are beating the Germans, the French, the Italians and the Spanish on that as well as on average internet connection speed. Because that scheme has been so successful, we have gone on to phase 2, which is 95% coverage. That is also why we have signed almost every single contract apart from Devon and Somerset, which I hope we will sign on Friday. We can then get on to start planning how we will get to 95%.
Phone and Broadband Coverage (Herefordshire)
Debate between Lord Vaizey of Didcot and Simon Hart(9 years, 5 months ago)
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Westminster Hall is an alternative Chamber for MPs to hold debates, named after the adjoining Westminster Hall.
Each debate is chaired by an MP from the Panel of Chairs, rather than the Speaker or Deputy Speaker. A Government Minister will give the final speech, and no votes may be called on the debate topic.
This information is provided by Parallel Parliament and does not comprise part of the offical record
Mr Vaizey
I agree with my hon. Friend, which is why we put together the £10 million fund. As I said, a number of private providers are trialling such technology. The trials are under way, and we will evaluate them shortly, which will influence phase 3 of our rural broadband programme. It is no secret that our ambition is to deliver superfast broadband to 100% of premises in the UK.
Simon Hart
That is good news about take-up in Yorkshire. Before we leave that point, take-up in a lot of rural areas is as low as 18%. It is one thing for the Government to encourage people to take it up, but an 18% take-up rate for such a huge infrastructure project is tantamount to a failure. We must do better than just encouraging.
Mr Vaizey
I do not really know how to answer that point. On the one hand, one hon. Member criticises me for putting adverts in newspapers to encourage the take-up of superfast broadband; on the other, another hon. Member asks me to do more to encourage it. We cannot order people to take up superfast broadband, but we can tell them that it is here. We can also make the point that we have some of the cheapest superfast broadband to be found anywhere, not only in Europe but around the world. I am used to hearing people say, as I am sure my hon. Friends are, that they can access much better broadband when they go to their holiday villa or the like, but what they do not say is how much it costs to access it. We have some of the cheapest broadband.
UK Media (Welsh Rugby)
Debate between Lord Vaizey of Didcot and Simon HartWestminster Hall is an alternative Chamber for MPs to hold debates, named after the adjoining Westminster Hall.
Each debate is chaired by an MP from the Panel of Chairs, rather than the Speaker or Deputy Speaker. A Government Minister will give the final speech, and no votes may be called on the debate topic.
This information is provided by Parallel Parliament and does not comprise part of the offical record
Mr Vaizey
That is true. One of the aspects that emerged during our many debates about S4C was indeed its coverage of Welsh rugby. S4C is very much part of the UK media, as I will go on to explain. It may be, should time allow, that other Members might want to comment further on S4C’s excellent coverage of Welsh rugby.
Some might ask what the problem is. Do we need better coverage of Welsh rugby? Welsh rugby stands as a legend for all people who follow international rugby. Here am I, an Englishman from the south-east, but the names of Edwards, John, Bennett, Quinnell and a man who can be recognised by just three letters, JPR, are part of my childhood and growing up, and they still define our understanding of the modern game.
In more recent years, the Millennium stadium—on the site of another legend, the Arms Park—has been one of the most iconic rugby stadiums in the world, it is so well known. It is absolutely right and proper that it will host eight world cup fixtures next year, including two of Wales’s home games. That is a great illustration of the sport and its Welsh tradition throughout the globe.
The influence of Wales in rugby extends to the women’s rugby world cup in France. My hon. Friend is no doubt aware that the Prime Minister himself last week sent a message of good luck—interestingly, my own Secretary of State said last week that politicians wishing good luck could have the opposite effect, but he has also wished the Welsh women’s rugby world cup team good luck. Jokes aside, that shows the esteem in which the powerful Welsh women’s team is held. They have a chance to grab the headlines and do their great rugby- loving nation proud. I hope that the Telegraph gives their games the coverage that they deserve.
Frankly, it is not only in rugby that Wales has great achievements to its credit, and I hope that those other sporting achievements will also be recorded by the UK media. Who can forget that a Welsh football player commanded the highest transfer price on record? Gareth Bale is worth more than a Neymar or a Robben.
The importance of sport in our national identity and in keeping our nations together should not be underestimated. I happen to think that it is a great thing that Cardiff and Swansea have played in the premier league—Swansea is still in—because, were I to be indiscreet, it occurs to me that perhaps the majority of the population is more interested in and passionate about sport than politics. One of the things that will keep our country united is a shared passion for sport and the opportunity for all our nations to participate together in great sporting occasions.
I have mentioned rugby and football, but the great Commonwealth games are starting imminently in Glasgow. Again, I hesitate to place a jinx on them, but I wish good luck to Dai Greene in the 400-metre hurdles, Jazz Carlin in the swimming, Geraint Thomas in the cycling and the rugby sevens team. We look to the Telegraph to give suitable coverage to what will no doubt be great achievements in the games.
Simon Hart (Carmarthen West and South Pembrokeshire) (Con)
Will my hon. Friend give way?
Simon Hart
I rather thought you might be.
The Minister has been mentioning a lot of the major sports, but will he spare a thought for those taking part in the Ironman competition in Tenby in the coming months—1,800 of them, I think? It is a global event, which is staged in only two places in the UK, one of which is Bolton and the other Tenby. It is a fantastic sporting event, which gets minimal TV coverage, but if anyone wants an indication of athleticism at its best, Ironman Tenby in September is the place to be.
Mr Vaizey
My hon. Friend makes a good point. Ironman Tenby is a legendary sporting event. History does not relate whether my hon. Friend is intending to take part—in terms of engagement with his voters, it would be a sensible thing for him to do. Perhaps in this Chamber today we could start the campaign for him to take part in that event, because he has three months left for training. I take his point and call on the Telegraph to give Ironman Tenby suitable coverage. It is an important event for the nation as well as for Wales.
We are discussing the UK media’s coverage of Welsh rugby; it is important to talk about the UK media as a whole, not just about the Telegraph. Our television and radio broadcasting are underpinned by frameworks designed to ensure that both regional and national content reach a wide audience, be that in coverage of sporting events, news coverage or in the production of drama and entertainment programmes.
We should note that the BBC should also provide suitable coverage for Welsh international matches. I have not done any research on that, and my hon. Friend the Member for Montgomeryshire did not mention it in his speech, so I am not aware of whether it is a particular problem, but I hope that those listening to the debate take note that there should be suitable coverage.
The licensing regime for the public sector broadcasters supports investment in the UK regions and nations, something from which everybody benefits. The levers that both we and Ofcom have are kept under constant review. For example, in terms of UK media coverage of Welsh rugby, Channel 4 has a quota for production of content outside England. That is going to increase from 2020 from 3% to 9%, which should be good news for Welsh content. The BBC has made an ongoing commitment since 2008 to grow its regional production, with 17% of network spend coming from the nations by 2016, which again should be good news for Wales and Welsh rugby.
The separation of the new ITV Wales from the current ITV Wales and West regional franchise will also give artistic freedom for that Welsh broadcaster to invest in high quality Welsh public service programming—I hope that includes suitable coverage of Welsh rugby matters. I know that Members from both sides of the House have strongly welcomed that important development.
Welsh broadcasting has had a lot to celebrate in recent years. Only last year we saw the 30th anniversary of S4C, an organisation that the current Government continue to fund, with the BBC, to the total tune of more than £80 million a year. We have already referred to S4C’s excellent coverage of Welsh rugby.
Oral Answers to Questions
Debate between Lord Vaizey of Didcot and Simon Hart(10 years, 2 months ago)
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Simon Hart (Carmarthen West and South Pembrokeshire) (Con)
T4. Mobile phone coverage in parts of Wales is as bad as coverage in places in Africa, Kazakhstan and the Alps. Does the Minister have a view on when we can expect a 20th-century service in Wales, let alone a 21st-century one?
Mr Vaizey
I am pleased to say that a 21st-century service is well on its way. We have the greatest roll-out of 4G technology anywhere in the world and the major mobile providers will complete their 4G mobile coverage two years ahead of schedule. We will then take a look at how effective that is and we will continue to work with mobile operators to improve mobile coverage.