Asked by: Michael Tomlinson (Conservative - Mid Dorset and North Poole)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what steps the Government is taking to maximise internet service provider options for people in rural areas.
Answered by Margot James
We are currently investing £1.7 billion of public money in superfast broadband coverage across the UK. We reached the target of 95% coverage of the UK by the end of 2017 and are continuing to roll out with another 2% coverage expected.
As part of funding requirements, network providers receiving funding under the BDUK Superfast programme are required to provide wholesale access, which creates competition in the retail market and seeks to maximise the number of internet service provider options for consumers.
To ensure no-one is left behind, the Better Broadband Scheme ensures all UK premises have access to an affordable broadband service from a range of ISPs delivering at least 2Mbps. From 2020 we are also introducing a broadband Universal Service Obligation so everyone across the UK will have a clear, enforceable right to request high-speed broadband of minimum 10Mbps up to a reasonable cost threshold.
Asked by: Michael Tomlinson (Conservative - Mid Dorset and North Poole)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what steps the Government is taking to ensure that mobile phone provider coverage checkers are accurate.
Answered by Margot James
Ofcom has power under the Communications Act 2003 to require coverage data from Mobile Network Operators (MNOs) and publishes this data online. Ofcom’s statutory powers to require the provision of information are fundamental to its ability to carry out its regulatory functions, and the information provided by operators must therefore be timely, complete and accurate. Each MNO also publishes data online with regard to its own coverage, and this data is subject to the ASA CAP Code.
Ofcom recently announced that they will open an investigation into errors found in data provided by EE and Vodafone, and whether these would constitute a breach of the operators’ obligations. This investigation is ongoing.
The Government is clear that it is essential that the data provided to consumers, whether on MNO websites or through Ofcom, must be the best available, and able to be used with confidence.
Asked by: Michael Tomlinson (Conservative - Mid Dorset and North Poole)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, if he will take steps against broadband infrastructure companies who exclude specific houses as they deem their driveways to be too long when installing fibre broadband in an area.
Answered by Margot James
The Future Telecoms Infrastructure Review, published in July, set out the Government’s ambitions to provide world-class digital connectivity that is gigabit-capable, reliable, long-lasting and widely available across the UK. The Review set out the regulatory and policy environment to facilitate this, alongside the measures that my Department’s Barrier Busting Task Force is taking to reduce the cost of deployment of digital infrastructure.
The Government hopes such measures will enable operators to deploy infrastructure as far as possible, including to harder to reach or more expensive areas.
Asked by: Michael Tomlinson (Conservative - Mid Dorset and North Poole)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
What plans he has to discuss the establishment of a youth full-time social action pilot programme with delivery organisations.
Answered by Tracey Crouch
I met both Steve Holliday, the Chair of the Full Time Social Action Review, and City Year, a provider of full time social action, in May.
I have no further plans to discuss a pilot programme with delivery organisations.
We are committed to supporting young people to take action on the issues they care about, and has invested in youth social action through programmes including the #iwill campaign and the National Citizen Service.
Asked by: Michael Tomlinson (Conservative - Mid Dorset and North Poole)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
What plans he has to discuss the establishment of a youth full-time social action pilot programme with delivery organisations.
Answered by Tracey Crouch
I met both Steve Holliday, the Chair of the Full Time Social Action Review, and City Year, a provider of full time social action, in May.
I have no further plans to discuss a pilot programme with delivery organisations.
We are committed to supporting young people to take action on the issues they care about, and has invested in youth social action through programmes including the #iwill campaign and the National Citizen Service.
Asked by: Michael Tomlinson (Conservative - Mid Dorset and North Poole)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, with reference to the Independent review of Full-Time Social Action, published in January 2018, what assessment his Department has made of potential merits of youth full-time social action in relation to the National Citizen Service.
Answered by Tracey Crouch
My Department is carefully considering the recommendations made by the Review of Full Time Social Action by Young People, including the recommendation relating to the National Citizen Service. The Government will issue its response in due course.
Asked by: Michael Tomlinson (Conservative - Mid Dorset and North Poole)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, when he plans to respond to the recommendations made by the Independent Review of Full-Time Social Action.
Answered by Tracey Crouch
I refer the hon member to the answer to WPQ 127914 answered on 22nd February.
Asked by: Michael Tomlinson (Conservative - Mid Dorset and North Poole)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, if she will provide additional support for broadband provision to difficult to reach properties in (a) rural and (b) urban areas which have not been provided with access under the universal service obligation to date and where Openreach fibre roll-out has been delayed for more than a year.
Answered by Matt Hancock
Reliable, fast broadband is now seen as an essential service, not a nice-to-have. We are introducing a new broadband Universal Service Obligation in this Parliament to ensure that everyone can benefit from improved broadband connectivity. Premises in hard to reach areas, not served by commercial or existing publicly funded broadband roll outs, will have the legal right to request a broadband connection with speeds of at least 10 Megabits, no matter where they live or work.
Asked by: Michael Tomlinson (Conservative - Mid Dorset and North Poole)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, if he will provide additional funding for broadband provision to difficult to reach properties in (a) rural and (b) urban areas which have not been provided with access under the Universal Service Obligation to date and where Openreach fibre rollout has been delayed for more than a year.
Answered by Lord Vaizey of Didcot
Superfast broadband coverage will reach 95% of UK premises by the end of 2017. Further funding from clawback and efficiency savings in the local broadband contracts with BT will allow this coverage to be extended further.
In addition it is the Government's intention to implement a new broadband Universal Service Obligation. This will give people the legal right to request a broadband connection, no matter where they live, by the end of this Parliament. Our ambition is that this should initially be set at 10 Mbps.