Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Simon Kirby and Matt Warman

Tuesday 28th February 2017 Commons Chamber

[Matt Warman (Boston and Skegness) (Con)]

7. What fiscal steps he is taking to support the development of digital infrastructure.

[The Economic Secretary to the Treasury (Simon Kirby)]

The Government are taking action to give the United Kingdom the world-leading infrastructure that it needs. The Government-led £1.7 billion superfast broadband programme will extend coverage to 95% of UK premises by the end of 2017.

[Matt Warman]

From artificial intelligence to mechanisation, we live in a period of unprecedented technological change, and the Government should foster it in rural and urban areas. Can the Economic Secretary confirm that he will resist the calls of a new generation of Luddites for robots to be taxed?

[Simon Kirby]

I was going to make a joke about the Liberal Democrats, but as there are none in the Chamber I will merely reassure my hon. Friend that the Government have no current plans to introduce a robot tax.