Telecommunications Infrastructure (Relief from Non-Domestic Rates) Bill Debate

Full Debate: Read Full Debate
Department: Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport

Telecommunications Infrastructure (Relief from Non-Domestic Rates) Bill

Vicky Ford Excerpts
2nd reading: House of Commons
Monday 10th July 2017

(7 years, 4 months ago)

Commons Chamber
Read Full debate Telecommunications Infrastructure (Relief from Non-Domestic Rates) Act 2018 Read Hansard Text Read Debate Ministerial Extracts
Helen Whately Portrait Helen Whately
- Hansard - - - Excerpts

I completely agree. As in his constituency, there are parts of my constituency that do not have 4G, 3G or even enough mobile signal to make a phone call. I am very keen for the Government to intervene to ensure that there is comprehensive mobile phone reception across rural areas. I also hope that we can have a catch-up for those areas, so that they can canter quickly through 3G and 4G and then go straight to 5G.

Vicky Ford Portrait Vicky Ford (Chelmsford) (Con)
- Hansard - -

While we are on the subject of notspots and blackout areas, does my hon. Friend agree that there are priority areas such as along railway lines? Many of my constituents commute every day and it is so frustrating not even being able to get a phone signal on the railway line. The Bill will enable extra infrastructure, so that we have connected commuters, which is key in the 21st century.