BT Broadband Provision: Local Businesses

Debate between Chris Davies and Lord Vaizey of Didcot

Thursday 10th March 2016 Westminster Hall

[Chris Davies (Brecon and Radnorshire) (Con)]

It is a pleasure to serve under your chairmanship, Ms Ryan. I congratulate the hon. Member for Bishop Auckland (Helen Goodman) on securing such an important debate. Broadband is an essential component of modern business life.

As we are all aware, a connected business is a competitive business. Those who cannot connect are left behind in the global race, and we must not let our excellent local businesses fall into that trap. The hon. Lady’s constituency is in many ways similar to my own. Beautiful rolling countryside and rural communities litter the local area and, like me, she has many excellent rural businesses crying out for better broadband. I am delighted that she mentioned a local firm of auctioneers that is suffering. I spent 20 years in that profession before entering this place, so I sympathise enormously with those auctioneers and understand what they are going through.

As a rural constituency, Brecon and Radnorshire faces many challenges, to which I will return later. However, I feel that it is only right to begin by commending the Government for their commitment to the 10 megabits per second universal service obligation. We are often quick to criticise, but that commitment was welcomed across my constituency and will be a great comfort to local people.

I have spoken in many debates on broadband during my short time here in Parliament—

[The Minister for Culture and the Digital Economy (Mr Edward Vaizey)]

So have I.

[Chris Davies]

And when I have spoken, the Minister has always answered at the end with a cheery smile and a great further commitment to rural broadband. However, I believe he would agree that even though he has always spoken well, there is still much more to do.

There are three main issues involved in providing adequate broadband to our rural businesses. The first is information. It is vital that our businesses have access to all the information they need to make an informed decision about their broadband needs. Many businesses that I speak to in my constituency tell me that they cannot get access to the speeds that they need, yet they are unaware of many of the options available to them. Often, few are aware of the possibility of ethernet connections, and many are put off by the extra costs involved, as might be expected. Others are still oblivious to the promise of satellite and wireless broadband, which could satisfy their requirements.

Businesses face a lot of noise about off-the-shelf products that hides alternative options that might benefit them. I therefore recommend that the Government do all that they can to ensure that our businesses are properly informed of all the options available. BT and other providers offer alternative services that might fulfil the needs of those local businesses.