Asked by: Alex Cunningham (Labour - Stockton North)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, if his Department will hold discussions with local authorities to encourage uptake of narrow trenching techniques in order to lower deployment costs for high-speed broadband connections and expedite its rollout to more homes and businesses.
Answered by Lord Vaizey of Didcot
We encourage and support a range of innovative approaches in street works, particularly where these can lower the cost and speed up deployment of superfast broadband. The standards that street works reinstatements must meet are set out in the statutory code, the Specification of the Reinstatement of Openings in Highways (SROH). SROH sets out a range of deployment methods and approved materials that undertakers can use when carrying out street works, including narrow trenching and the use of foamed concrete as a reinstatement material.
Asked by: Alex Cunningham (Labour - Stockton North)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what steps his Department is taking to encourage infrastructure-based competition across the market for high-speed broadband connections; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Lord Vaizey of Didcot
The UK has a highly competitive broadband market. Superfast broadband is currently available to 78% of UK premises, up from 45% in 2010. In addition to BT, KCom and Virgin Media, a growing number of both fixed and wireless providers are making infrastructure investments. In September 2012 the Government announced a package of measures to reduce the barriers to deployment of superfast broadband, reducing red tape and bureaucracy to enable communications providers to deploy competing networks. The Digital Communications Infrastructure Strategy consultation invited industry to submit views on what more the Government might do to support infrastructure deployment. That consultation closed on 1 October and the Government is currently considering the responses received.
Asked by: Alex Cunningham (Labour - Stockton North)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what discussions he and Ministers in his Department have had with Ministers in the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills on the proposed reform of apprenticeships; what effect those discussions will have on his Department's projects and the work of their supply chain; and whether officials in his Department sit on programme boards managing that reform.
Answered by Helen Grant
DCMS has been engaged with the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills on apprenticeship reforms, in particular on the tourism industry and creative industries. The second phase of Apprenticeship Trailblazers includes Professional Chefing, and Hospitality and Tourism Supervisors and Managers. I also launched and co-chair a Tourism Industry Council with the Minister for Skills and Equalities, Nick Boles. The Council’s aim is to improve skills, qualifications and apprenticeships within the sector and will include engagement with the apprenticeship reform scheme.
There are now more than 4,200 apprenticeships in the creative industries, plus more than 45,000 apprenticeships in ICT. The cinema industry, crafts and newspaper and broadcast media sectors are all taking part in the second phase of the Apprenticeship Trailblazers.