Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, whether he plans to take steps to enable (a) constituents and (b) businesses in South Ribble constituency to become eligible Gigabit Broadband Voucher Scheme.

Answered by Chris Bryant - Minister of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)

As part of Project Gigabit, Building Digital UK (BDUK) identifies the most appropriate intervention to deliver gigabit-capable broadband in areas that are unlikely to be reached by suppliers’ commercial rollout. For most homes and businesses in the South Ribble constituency, this will be through the Project Gigabit contract being delivered by Openreach across Lancashire.

BDUK is currently exploring if additional premises can be added to the scope of this contract. For any homes or businesses that cannot be added, and remain outside of commercial plans, BDUK will consider alternative interventions, which may include the Gigabit Broadband Voucher Scheme.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, whether his Department has alternative plans for reaching (a) premises and (b) communities that are deemed too expensive to reach through Project Gigabit.

Answered by Chris Bryant - Minister of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)

The vast majority of premises will be covered by commercial activity or Project Gigabit, but it will remain too expensive to build a gigabit capable connection to a very small proportion of premises on either a commercial or subsidised basis. The government is exploring options for the kind of support that might be required and appropriate to ensure sufficient, affordable and reliable connectivity in these cases.

Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what guidance her Department has issued on whether Magistrates Courts in England and Wales can revert back to a conditional offer of £100 Fine and 3 Penalty Points rather than using the Sentencing Guidelines (Speeding Offences) when (a) mitigation is taken into account and (b) such a reversion is justified.

Answered by Nicholas Dakin - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury

In the case of a driver who breaks the speed limit, they may be given a fixed penalty notice with a £100 fine and three penalty points on their licence, or they may be summoned to Court.

If the person wants to plead not guilty, they will have to go to court to contest the charge, at which point the sentencing guidelines will apply. If the driver is then found guilty in court, they may have to pay a higher fine (depending on what the speed limit was and how much over the limit they were driving). They can also be disqualified from driving or have their licence suspended.

Sentencing guidelines provide courts with guidance on factors that should be considered, which may affect the sentence given. The Council is independent of Parliament and Government. As an independent body, the Council decides on its own priorities and work plan for producing guidelines.

All sentencing courts in England and Wales must follow any sentencing guidelines which are relevant to the offender’s case unless it is in the interest of justice not to do so. Courts must give reason when departing from the guidelines.

Service with the British Commanders’-In-Chief Mission to the Soviet Forces in Germany, 1946-1990