Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Stephen Kinnock and Matt Hancock

Thursday 9th February 2017 Commons Chamber

[Stephen Kinnock (Aberavon) (Lab)]

6. What assessment the Government have made of the potential merits of providing universal superfast broadband coverage.

[The Minister for Digital and Culture (Matt Hancock)]

We strongly support the roll-out of superfast broadband, which is on track to be available to 95% of premises by the end of the year.

[Stephen Kinnock]

Almost one in three homes in my Aberavon constituency have broadband speeds of below 10 megabits a second. Moreover, I recently conducted a survey of my constituents in which 44% of respondents reported repeated loss of broadband service. Does the Minister agree that the future growth prospects of Aberavon will be severely constrained if this situation continues?

[Matt Hancock]

I will look into the figures that the hon. Gentleman mentions. Thinkbroadband, the independent body that publishes figures on this, thinks that the number of properties in Aberavon to which superfast broadband is available is much higher and, indeed, ahead of the national average. There has been a huge effort to roll out superfast broadband but, of course, there is a difference between something being available and it being taken up. It is important to ensure that people take up broadband when it is available.