Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Gen Kitchen and Julia Lopez

Wednesday 22nd May 2024 Commons Chamber

[Julia Lopez]

I have met the hon. Lady about this issue, and I have made representations to KCOM and Connexin, the companies involved in her neck of the woods. I believe that productive talks are under way between them, overseen by Ofcom. We hope that a lot more progress will be made, and that network roll-outs will be paused when there seems to be overbuild.

[Gen Kitchen (Wellingborough) (Lab)]

13. In Wellingborough and Rushden, organisations such as Serve and the Teamwork Trust offer digital support for the excluded, but for low-income households, access to the internet through libraries and schools is a key tool for employment and betterment. In rural towns such as mine, what is the Department doing to ensure that low-income households have access to digital services?

[Julia Lopez]

I thank the hon. Lady for her interest. She is right that it is important to ensure that every person in the country can be connected. That is why we have encouraged social tariffs, which have been rolled out by a large number of operators. Constituents of hers who are on benefits will be able to access those. They cost from £10 a month, bringing cheap connectivity to everybody.