Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Geoffrey Clifton-Brown and Lord Cameron of Chipping Norton

Wednesday 11th May 2016 Commons Chamber

[The Prime Minister]

I completely disagree with the hon. Gentleman, and I hope that he will follow and listen to the debates that take place on this vital Bill. The fact is that if we want to make sure that we can keep our country safe, just as we have been able to see the communications data when two people talk to each other on a mobile phone or a fixed phone, the same has to be true if that conversation is taking place between people visiting an internet site. Is he happy for plots to be hatched, terrorism to be planned and murders to be arranged because people are using an internet site rather than a telephone? My answer to that would be no. We have got to modernise our capabilities to keep our country safe, and that is what this Bill is about.

[Geoffrey Clifton-Brown (The Cotswolds) (Con)]

My right hon. Friend said in November 2015:

“Access to the internet shouldn’t be a luxury; it should be a right”.

The accompanying press release went on to say that every home and business could

“have access to fast broadband by the end of this Parliament.”

Will my right hon. Friend say today, unequivocally—no ifs or buts—that this commitment will be honoured?

[The Prime Minister]

I am afraid my hon. Friend is going to have to wait for the Queen’s Speech, in which we will be setting out the next steps of how we make sure that access to this absolutely vital highway is there for all our citizens.