Broadband Debate

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Wednesday 8th March 2017

(7 years, 8 months ago)

Westminster Hall
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Matt Warman Portrait Matt Warman
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I agree. That is the second of the two issues that I hope to be able to raise. The first is that I think we can all agree that 10% is not enough, and we should have different rules for the number of people who are able to receive a certain speed. We should also be clear about whether the technology is able to deliver what people are sold. I would like there to be a more accurate way of describing the number of people who are able to receive a service and much tighter and more accurate descriptions of the kind of technology that is used to deliver that service. That comes back to the right hon. Lady’s point.

Julian Sturdy Portrait Julian Sturdy (York Outer) (Con)
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My hon. Friend is making a powerful argument. On that point, is it not the case that a community may get fibre to the cabinet, but speed is lost when the signal goes on to copper, so there can be different speeds right across a rural community?

Fiona Mactaggart Portrait Fiona Mactaggart
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Or an urban one.

Julian Sturdy Portrait Julian Sturdy
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Houses in such communities get completely different speeds right across the board. Is that not an issue that we must tackle?

Matt Warman Portrait Matt Warman
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Exactly. The right hon. Member for Slough (Fiona Mactaggart) is right to mention that this is not just a rural issue but an urban one too.