BT Broadband Provision: Local Businesses

Debate between Lord Vaizey of Didcot and Damian Green

Thursday 10th March 2016 Westminster Hall

[Mr Vaizey]

No, I will not accept that, because the hon. Gentleman is missing the point I made earlier about the distinction to be made. The physical roll-out of infrastructure is going well, and more than 4 million homes that would not otherwise have got superfast broadband now have it. That job has been done extremely well. What frustrates me is the poor customer service, which I hear about again and again from my colleagues. That is why we have had two debates in two days. I am really trying to get the message to Openreach to sort that out.

[Damian Green]

I spent several years as the front person for the UK Border Agency, so I have every sympathy with the Minister having to be the front person for Openreach. Has he reflected on the policy implication? Even though the roll-out, in effect, of fibre to the cabinet has been a success—as he said—that is still not providing an adequate service for millions of households and businesses throughout the country. Therefore, at some stage, a Government will have to bite the bullet and say, “We actually need fibre to the premises, however expensive it will be.”

[Mr Vaizey]

My right hon. Friend is moving me on to the next stage of infrastructure roll-out of broadband, but I agree, whether that is fibre to premises or new technology such as G.fast. I have talked about the need for a gigabit Britain and, as far as I am concerned, we are reaching the end of the superfast broadband roll-out programme and now we need to look ahead. We are not complacent: we need to go for a gigabit Britain.

To make things easier for people to build such networks, we will reform the electronic communications code, so that laying fibre across land becomes cheaper; we will reform planning so that mobile operators—as mentioned by one of my hon. Friends—may build bigger masts to get better signals; and we will work with Ofcom on a digital communications review, which will open up BT’s poles and ducts. I completely agree with those who say that it is important to follow up and to ensure that the practical implementation of the regulations actually happens. The Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills also announced a review of business broadband, which is at the very heart of what colleagues have been talking about.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Lord Vaizey of Didcot and Damian Green

Thursday 4th June 2015 Commons Chamber

[Mr Vaizey]

I am sure, Mr Speaker, that you have taken note of the hon. Gentleman’s comments about wi-fi in the Chamber. Digital inclusion will form part of our new digital implementation taskforce, and I am pleased that at the end of the last Parliament we set aside more than £7 million to put wi-fi in libraries. I agree with the hon. Gentleman that we need as many community spaces as possible where people can access the internet.

[Damian Green (Ashford) (Con)]

The Minister will have got the point from the last 10 minutes of exchanges that decent broadband speed is now a utility expected in every household, like running water and electricity. How effective does he think that the current programme is in filling in the gaps that, especially in rural areas, make it almost impossible for people to set up successful businesses where they are most needed?

[Mr Vaizey]

As I have already said, I think that the programme has been successful. We have passed more than 2.5 million homes. By the end of 2015 we should have 90% superfast broadband coverage in the UK, which compares well with almost every other country, and puts us at the top of the tree of the big five in Europe.