Telecommunications Infrastructure (Leasehold Property) Bill

Debate between William Wragg and Oliver Dowden

Report stage & 3rd reading & 3rd reading: House of Commons & Report stage: House of Commons
Tuesday 10th March 2020 Commons Chamber

[Oliver Dowden]

Of course it can be done now without Huawei, but what we have set out is, first, the cap, at 35%, and then the process of diversification to get from that point—

[Mr William Wragg (Hazel Grove) (Con)]

Will my right hon. Friend allow me?

[Oliver Dowden]

I will allow one more intervention, but then I should make some progress.

[Mr Wragg]

Could my right hon. Friend kindly explain the rationale behind 35%? Why not a per cent. more or a per cent. less?

[Oliver Dowden]

The rationale, as decided by the National Security Council, on advice from the agencies, was that that was a sustainable point—a cap from which we could start to work down. As my hon. Friend well knows, of course, there is a degree of arbitrariness in any number, but on balance it was decided that 35% was the appropriate place for us to land.