Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Michael Fabricant and Lord Vaizey of Didcot

Thursday 27th November 2014 Commons Chamber

[Michael Fabricant (Lichfield) (Con)]

5. What steps he is taking to provide broadband of up to 2 megabits in areas currently not served. [R]

[The Minister for Culture and the Digital Economy (Mr Edward Vaizey)]

I am pleased to be able to tell my hon. Friend that Ofcom reports that 97% of premises in the UK already have access to broadband speeds of at least 2 megabits. The Government are committed to ensuring that the whole country will be able to receive 2 megabits as soon as possible.

[Michael Fabricant]

Well, I would not want to accuse my hon. Friend—and he is a friend—of being smug, but what about the other 3%? May I just say how utterly frustrating it is to hear about superfast broadband when parts of my constituency such as Tatenhill, and other parts of the United Kingdom, have no broadband at all?

[Mr Vaizey]

I am very far from being smug. Having read my hon. Friend’s interview in which he waxed lyrical about his “bromance” with the Chief Whip, imagine how I felt after our years of friendship. Nevertheless, I remain resolute in supporting him, and I am pleased to be able to tell him that Staffordshire as a whole has received £9 million to connect to superfast broadband and that his own constituency will see 8,000 homes committed under our programme. That is real “bromance”, Mr Speaker.