Asked by: Chris Bryant (Labour - Rhondda)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of switching from ISDN to SIP lines on the resilience of emergency service networks.
Answered by Julia Lopez - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
The Emergency Services are operationally independent and have responsibility for the operation of emergency service control rooms that process emergency calls, as overseen by local Chief Officer and relevant Lead Government Departments, including Departments in the Devolved Administrations as applicable.
The digital transition is industry led and the emergency services are being supported by their respective communications providers. DSIT is working closely with the lead government departments for the emergency services to provide advice on areas of risk which has prompted actions from the emergency services to increase resilience measures.
DSIT does not hold any data on the number of silent calls received by the emergency services.
Asked by: Chris Bryant (Labour - Rhondda)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what data her Department holds on the number of silent calls received by emergency services on (a) ISDN and (b) SIP lines.
Answered by Julia Lopez - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
The Emergency Services are operationally independent and have responsibility for the operation of emergency service control rooms that process emergency calls, as overseen by local Chief Officer and relevant Lead Government Departments, including Departments in the Devolved Administrations as applicable.
The digital transition is industry led and the emergency services are being supported by their respective communications providers. DSIT is working closely with the lead government departments for the emergency services to provide advice on areas of risk which has prompted actions from the emergency services to increase resilience measures.
DSIT does not hold any data on the number of silent calls received by the emergency services.
Asked by: Helen Morgan (Liberal Democrat - North Shropshire)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, whether officials in her Department have had discussions with Ofcom on the potential merits of increasing the minimum requirement for the battery life of an emergency back-up line provided to properties switched to the digital phone network.
Answered by Julia Lopez - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
Government is committed to improving protections for those who depend on their landline for connectivity. All signatories to the PSTN charter, agreed in December 2023, have committed to working to provide solutions that go beyond the Ofcom minimum guidance. Ofcom guidance states that communications providers should have at least one solution that enables access to emergency organisations, for a minimum of one hour in the event of a power outage. Communication Providers are required to meet standards and specifications set out in the General Conditions of Entitlement, under obligations imposed by the Communications Act 2003, to ensure continuity of service.
Last year, DSIT asked Ofcom to consider how the general resilience of telecommunications services in the event of prolonged power outages served the needs of customers. In response, Ofcom launched a consultation on the resilience of the sector which included a separate call for input on power backup for mobile radio access networks that closed on 1 March. Ofcom is currently considering the responses.
Asked by: Gen Kitchen (Labour - Wellingborough)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps she is taking to reduce waiting time for elective surgeries for people in Wellingborough constituency.
Answered by Andrew Stephenson - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
Cutting waiting lists is one of the Prime Minister’s top priorities. To reduce the National Health Service’s waitlist, the Department plans to spend more than £8 billion from 2022/23 to 2024/25. This funding will expand capacity by creating a new network of community diagnostic centres, and maximising all available independent sector capacity. In addition, we are managing demand through specialised advice in primary care, and giving patients more control over where they receive their care.
To reduce waiting times for elective surgeries specifically, we are transforming the way the NHS provides elective surgeries, by increasing activity through dedicated and protected surgical hubs. £1.5 billion of funding has been awarded for the development of new surgical hubs and the expansion of surgical hub sites, as well as increased bed capacity and equipment, to help elective services recover. The hubs will focus on providing high volume low complexity surgery, as recommended by the Royal College of Surgeons of England. There are currently 100 elective surgical hubs that are operational across England, as of March 2024. These surgical hubs help to separate elective care facilities from urgent and emergency care.
Asked by: Ian Byrne (Labour - Liverpool, West Derby)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, how many and what proportion of public phone boxes were removed in (a) Liverpool and (b) England in (i) 2023, (ii) 2022, (ii) 2021, (iv) 2020 and (v) 2019.
Answered by Julia Lopez - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
Ofcom, the UK’s telecommunications regulator, is responsible for the regulation of public call boxes (PCBs). Under the telephony universal service obligation (USO), communication providers (CPs) such as BT and KCOM are required to provide telephony services throughout the UK, including PCBs. Ofcom have told us that they do not hold data on the number of PCBs removed by city or country.
In June 2022, Ofcom amended the rules regarding the removal of PCBs. Ofcom removed the local veto process and replaced it with a set of strengthened criteria which would ensure PCBs that are still needed are protected from removal. In this way, the removal of PCBs would become more efficient, while protecting the public’s needs. These criteria protect PCBs where:
If a public call box that is the last at a site does not meet any of these four criteria, CPs can consult with the relevant local authority on removing it. CPs must still take account of any views and evidence received from this consultation before deciding whether to remove the box.
Public call boxes that are not the last at a site can be removed by BT and KCOM without consultation.
Asked by: Desmond Swayne (Conservative - New Forest West)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, if she will provide financial assistance to vulnerable customers reliant on (a) monitoring and (b) emergency call services where their equipment has to be upgraded as a result of BT's digital switchover.
Answered by Julia Lopez - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
The analogue landline network, also known as the Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN) is a privately owned network and the decision to replace it with digital landlines has been made by the telecoms industry. Government has no formal role in the switchover process. While BT owns the largest amount of PSTN lines, this upgrade is not just confined to that company. This migration is due to necessity, as the PSTN is old and increasingly prone to failure. Retaining customers on the PSTN would mean a significant long-term risk to individuals.
The switchover process means that certain devices and services which rely on analogue landlines, such as some telecare alarms, will need to be replaced. Upgrading these devices will ensure that they are compatible with a more secure underlying infrastructure.
Since the switchover is not led by Government, there is no designated funding available from DSIT. Where telecare devices are provided by local authorities or the NHS, these organisations will need to ensure that telecare users have compatible devices. Telecare users should contact the organisation providing their devices, to discuss what support is available to them. We also encourage concerned customers to contact their Communication Provider (such as BT or VMO2) to understand their approach to the switchover and what support is available.
Asked by: Feryal Clark (Labour - Enfield North)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what discussions he has had with rail service providers on tackling anti-social behaviour on railway services in (a) Enfield North Constituency, (b) the London Borough of Enfield, and (c) London.
Answered by Huw Merriman - Minister of State (Department for Transport)
Tackling anti-social behaviour (ASB) on the rail network in London and throughout the country is a top priority for the British Transport Police (BTP).
Where ASB hotspots have been identified, BTP implements Problem-solving Plans (PSPs) in partnership with its policing and non-policing partners which target their resources and activity to deal with local issues of concern.
Problem Solving Plans are a structured method used to understand the nature and causes of problems that affect communities and take preventative action in collaboration with partners and stakeholders. The focus is on getting to the root of the problem, identifying who can help (both within and outside of policing) and working together from the outset, along with thinking creatively on how to solve a problem.
Problem-solving Plans currently in place in London include (but are not limited to) Finsbury Park, Croydon, and Victoria.
Enfield is not in BTP’s top crime locations for ASB so there is no bespoke Problem-solving Plan in place, but BTP’s high visibility officers conduct on-board and station patrols in the local area to reassure passengers and staff, while deterring those who would engage in criminal behaviour.
If passengers see or experience ASB on the rail network, in Enfield, London or across the country they should report this to BTP using their text 61016 service or via the Railway Guardian app. In an emergency, they should always call 999.
Asked by: Lord Beith (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to ensure that the withdrawal of copper wire land lines because of the roll out of full fibre does not leave some homes and schools without access to communication, emergency messages or 999 calls in the event of a power cut which disables both their home power and the power supply to local mobile phone masts.
Answered by Viscount Camrose - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
The analogue landline system, also known as the Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN) is a privately-owned telecoms network and the decision to upgrade it has been taken by the telecoms industry. The industry’s decision to upgrade the PSTN is due to necessity, as the network is increasingly unreliable and prone to failure, with some telecoms companies finding it difficult to source certain spare parts required to maintain or repair connections. Therefore, keeping customers on the ageing PSTN system presents risks in itself.
DSIT officials engage with Communications Providers on a regular basis to understand the plans they have in place for the transition. Ofcom, the UK’s telecommunications regulator, has also issued guidance on how telecoms companies should fulfil their regulatory obligations in the event of a power cut.
This guidance states that providers should have at least one solution available that enables access to emergency organisations for a minimum of one hour in the event of a power outage in the premises. These are minimum standards, and in practice many providers are offering solutions which exceed them, such as longer life battery back-up units, 4G enabled handsets or satellite enabled communication units. The DSIT Secretary of State also asked Ofcom to review the general resilience of telecommunications services in the event of prolonged power outages. In response, in December 2023, Ofcom launched a consultation on the resilience of the sector that includes a separate call for input on power backup for mobile radio access networks. The consultation stated that 65% of power outages lasted for less than 1 hour.
In December 2023, DSIT agreed a Charter of Commitments with the UK’s leading Communications Providers to secure additional commitments to protect vulnerable consumers through the transition process. As part of the Charter, Communication Providers have agreed to work towards going beyond the standard minimum of one hour resilience.
Asked by: Rachael Maskell (Labour (Co-op) - York Central)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps he is taking to support local authorities to maintain bus services.
Answered by Guy Opperman - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The Government has announced over £4.5 billion to support and improve bus services since 2020. This includes £2 billion in emergency and recovery funding to maintain services during the pandemic; over £1 billion allocated in 2022 to help local transport authorities deliver their Bus Service Improvement Plans; a further £1 billion redirected from HS2 to improve bus services in the North and the Midlands as part of Network North; £300 million in ongoing funding to support and improve services until April 2025; and nearly £600 million to cap single bus fares at £2 from 1 January 2023 until the end of 2024.
From the further £1 billion redirected from HS2, City of York council has been allocated £1.153m as a first instalment, for 2024/25.
The Department also makes around £260 million available every year to bus operators and local authorities through the Bus Service Operators Grant to help run services that might otherwise be unprofitable and could lead to cancellation. £42 million of this funding goes to local authorities.
Asked by: Richard Foord (Liberal Democrat - Tiverton and Honiton)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps his Department is taking to support (a) rural and (b) cross-county border bus services.
Answered by Guy Opperman - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
Since March 2020, the Government has announced over £4.5 billion to support and improve bus services. This includes £2 billion in emergency and recovery funding to maintain services during the pandemic; over £1 billion allocated in 2022 to help local transport authorities (LTAs) deliver their Bus Service Improvement Plans; a further £1 billion redirected from HS2 to improve bus services in the North and the Midlands as part of Network North; £300 million in ongoing funding to support and improve services until April 2025; and nearly £600 million to cap single bus fares at £2 from 1 January 2023 until the end of 2024.
The Government also makes over £200 million available directly to bus operators every year through the Bus Service Operators Grant (BSOG) to keep fares down and help them maintain an extensive network. LTAs in England outside of London also receive £42 million annually through the BSOG for the purpose of subsidising socially necessary services that would otherwise be commercially unviable, helping to support rural routes.
The Government believes LTAs, working with operators, are best placed to determine the shape and structure of local bus services. The funding we are providing to the sector can be used to support and improve services across England outside London, including those running in rural areas or those that cross county borders.
In addition, our £20 million Rural Mobility Fund in England is supporting 16 innovative, demand-led minibus trials in rural and suburban areas across 16 local authorities in England. These pilots are exploring whether Demand Responsive Transport can serve these communities more effectively than traditional public transport solutions alone.