Asked by: Holly Lynch (Labour - Halifax)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what steps her Department has taken to help ensure that in the event of power outages people will still be able to make emergency calls, following the proposed changes to the Public Switched Telephone Network in 2025.
Answered by Julia Lopez - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
The Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN) is a privately-owned telecoms network and the decision to upgrade it has been taken by the telecoms industry, not the government. However, the government and Ofcom are working together to ensure consumers and sectors are protected and prepared for the upgrade process.
Ofcom, the independent telecoms regulator, has issued guidance on how telecoms companies can fulfil their regulatory obligation to ensure that their Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) customers have access to the emergency services during a power outage. This guidance was prepared following consultation with Ofgem and the industry, looking at data on average power outages among other factors.
This guidance states that providers should have at least one solution available that enables access to emergency organisations for a minimum of one hour in the event of a power outage in the premises, and that the solution should be suitable for customers’ needs and should be offered free of charge to those who are at risk as they are dependent on their landline. Ofcom’s full guidance is available on its website here.
Asked by: Holly Lynch (Labour - Halifax)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, whether it is her Department's policy to ensure that the proposed changes to the Public Switched Telephone Network in 2025 are accompanied by improved broadband access and speeds, especially in more rural areas.
Answered by Julia Lopez - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
The Public Switched Telephone Network is a privately-owned telecoms network and the decision to upgrade it has been taken by the telecoms industry, not the government. The decision has been taken as the network is increasingly unreliable and prone to failure, and spare parts are becoming harder to source due to a reduction in global production.
However, some Internet Service Providers are planning on migrating customers from PSTN connections only when a full-fibre connection is available at their premises, meaning higher broadband speeds and greater reliability.
More broadly, the government is committed to delivering nationwide gigabit connectivity as soon as possible. Today, over 65% of premises can access gigabit-capable networks, up from just one in ten in November 2019. The Government is also investing £5 billion as part of Project Gigabit to ensure the hardest-to-reach areas in the UK receive coverage: up to 2.5 million premises are within the scope of procurements we have already announced.
Asked by: Holly Lynch (Labour - Halifax)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
What steps she is taking to help prevent people from becoming digitally excluded.
Answered by Julia Lopez - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
The Government has worked closely with providers to put in place social tariffs. These provide low cost landline and broadband services for people on means-tested state benefits. We are encouraging providers who do not currently offer social tariff packages to do so. The telecoms industry has also removed data caps on fixed broadband packages, and provides free or low cost data boosts on mobile services to support vulnerable consumers.
In February DCMS also launched a £2.5 million Digital Lifeline Fund to reduce the digital exclusion of people with learning disabilities.This fund has provided tablets, data and free digital support to over 5,000 people with learning disabilities, enabling them to connect with friends and family, and access services and support groups, promoting overall well being.
The Government has also introduced a digital entitlement for adults with no or low digital skills to undertake specified digital qualifications, up to level 1, free of charge.
Finally, around 2,900 public libraries in England provide accessible locations offering free Wi-Fi, computers, and other technology. Library staff, often supported by volunteers, can provide library users with digital support.
Asked by: Holly Lynch (Labour - Halifax)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what steps her Department is taking to ensure that the National Children's Museum in Halifax provides free entry for the public.
Answered by Matt Hancock
Government welcomes the work of the National Children's Museum as an interactive, family-friendly attraction engaging children with science and STEM subjects. Government policy is national permentant collections should be free of charge.
Asked by: Holly Lynch (Labour - Halifax)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what representations he has received from businesses on the enforcement of minor breaches of the Advertising Codes by the Advertising Standards Authority; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Lord Vaizey of Didcot
I have received no representations from businesses on this issue.
This Government supports the system of co-regulation and self-regulation, overseen by the independent Advertising Standards Authority and underpinned by consumer protection legislation. This regulatory system is independent of the Government and is ultimately responsible for setting the standards in advertising, ensuring that all adverts, wherever they appear, are legal, decent, honest and truthful.
Asked by: Holly Lynch (Labour - Halifax)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what criteria the Government uses to determine which national museums receive government funding; and how such criteria are applied to the National Children's Museum, Eureka.
Answered by Lord Vaizey of Didcot
Government funds a small group of museums with Grant in Aid and there are no plans to extend the number of these at this time.
A range of factors determine what constitutes a ‘national museum’, and one of the central criteria is the significance of the museum’s collection.
In the case of the National Children’s Museum Government understands and supports the principle of family friendly interactive spaces. Government’s view is that this institution’s collection is not of a standard or scale comparable to National Museums such as the British Museum. It would not, therefore, fall within the criteria for receiving support from central Government or Arts Council England, which is responsible for regional museums.