Commons Sense

House of Commons · Ministers' Questions

Topical Questions

Thursday 18 March 2021 · 8 questions

Summarised by AI from the official record, so it can contain mistakes.

Read the full transcript on Parliament.uk

At a glance

Answered 2 Partly answered 5 Not answered 0

Key points

  • Kate Osborne asked the Secretary of State to work with the FA to pilot the safe return of spectators to sporting events, to which the response emphasized the importance of following the road map for reopening.
  • Andrew Percy inquired about measures to ensure mobile phone companies provide the service customers are paying for, to which the response highlighted the Government and industry's joint investment in 4G and 5G coverage.
  • Jo Stevens questioned the Department's input into legislation that provides longer sentences for damaging statues compared to raping women, to which the response defended the existing sentencing for serious violent and sexual offences.

Topics (select to filter)

Questions & Answers

Q1 Kate Osborne Lab Jarrow and Gateshead East
Culture, Media & Sport
Context

The FA cup final between Hebburn Town and Consett AFC has been rescheduled to take place behind closed doors.

Question

Will the Secretary of State work with the FA to make the final a pilot event for allowing the safe return of spectators to such sporting events?

Answer from Oliver Dowden

I share the hon. Lady's desire to get sports fans back in stadiums as quickly as we can, as has been highlighted by my colleagues on the Government Benches. We have already set out a road map, and I think it is important to people that we stick to that road map, which would see fans returning socially distanced from 17 May.

Partly answered

Not addressed: Specific commitment to make the FA cup final a pilot event for spectator return

How: We Have Already Set Out A Road Map

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Q2 Andrew Percy Con
Transport Science & Technology
Context

Communities such as Broughton are still waiting for mobile phone operators to deliver promised decent service.

Question

What more can the Government do to push the mobile phone companies to make sure that we get the service we are paying for up here?

Answer from Oliver Dowden

I absolutely agree with my hon. Friend about the need for speed. As he will know, the shared rural network will see the Government and industry jointly investing over £1 billion to increase 4G coverage throughout the UK. On 5G, over 200 towns and cities already have 5G, and our ambition is for the vast majority to have it by 2027.

Answered
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Q3 Jo Stevens Lab Cardiff East
Culture, Media & Sport Women & Equalities
Context

There has been an outpouring of grief over the death of Sarah Everard, highlighting issues of online abuse.

Question

Does he accept that the continuing delay has left women and girls at risk for too long, and does he commit to measures to protect them online when he finally publishes the Bill?

Answer from Oliver Dowden

May I begin by welcoming the hon. Lady back to her rightful place in the Chamber? She is absolutely right to highlight the issue of online abuse of women. That is why our internet safety Bill will bring forward measures to help protect women online, including measures to enable them to better report abuse, and will also ensure that they should get appropriate responses from platforms.

Partly answered

Not addressed: Specific timeline for publishing the internet safety bill

How: We Will Bring Forward The Draft Legislation At The Beginning Of The New Parliamentary Session

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Q4 Jo Stevens Lab Cardiff East
Crime & Law Enforcement
Context

The MP criticizes recent legislation that provides longer sentences for damaging statues than for raping women.

Question

What input his Department had into the Government's legislation this week that provides for longer sentences for hitting statues than those that have been given for raping women?

Answer from Oliver Dowden

I really wish that Members in this House would take a more temperate approach towards this. The hon. Lady knows full well that the most serious violent and sexual offences, including grievous bodily harm with intent to rape, already carry a maximum sentence of life imprisonment.

Partly answered

Not addressed: Specific departmental input into statue protection legislation

How: The Purpose Of What We Are Introducing In Respect Of Statues Is To Help Protect Statues That Have Tremendous Emotional Value

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Q5 Damien Moore Con
Business & Trade
Context

Support for towns with large hospitality and tourism economies.

Question

What steps is my right hon. Friend's Department taking to support the recovery of towns with large hospitality and tourism economies from the effects of the covid-19 pandemic?

Answer from Oliver Dowden

I thank my hon. Friend for his question; I know of his passionate concern about this. The Government have introduced a range of targeted measures to support hospitality and tourism through covid-19, including business rates relief and the new restart support grants, as well as the 5% VAT rate.

Answered
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Q6 Jamie Stone Lib Dem Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross
Scotland Science & Technology
Context

The Government announced a superfast broadband coverage of 97%, but in Jamie Stone's constituency, the coverage is only 78%. Paul Wheelhouse promised delivery by this year, but now it won't be achieved until 2026.

Question

In my constituency, the superfast broadband coverage is 78% and yesterday Paul Wheelhouse announced that we would not achieve full coverage until 2026, having already promised delivery by this year. My plea is very simple: please will Her Majesty's Government step in and sort this out?

Answer from Oliver Dowden

The UK Government have provided over £100 million to deliver broadband in Scotland, but it is disappointing that the Scottish National party failed to deliver 100% superfast coverage by 2021. We are investing £5 billion in Project Gigabit and there will be a stronger role for the UK Government in delivering this programme going forward.

Partly answered

Not addressed: The specific ask of stepping in to resolve broadband coverage was not directly addressed, focusing instead on past promises and current plans.

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Q7 Laura Farris
Science & Technology Business & Trade Environment
Context

There are still blackspots in Laura Farris's constituency where superfast and gigabit broadband is not available, especially in the RG20 and RG17 postcodes.

Question

Will my right hon. Friend consider asking Ofcom and Building Digital UK to reconsider their decision to exclude properties in the RG20 and RG17 postcodes from the gigabit batches?

Answer from Oliver Dowden

We are on a national mission to transform our digital infrastructure, and our plans include many rural properties in the RG17 and RG20 postcodes. We are investing £5 billion in connecting hard-to-reach communities with Project Gigabit.

Partly answered

Not addressed: The specific ask about reconsidering exclusion of certain postcodes was not directly addressed, focusing instead on broader infrastructure plans.

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Q8 Richard Thomson
Culture, Media & Sport
Context

The new chair of the BBC is a multimillionaire Conservative party donor with ties to the Chancellor, raising concerns about potential conflicts of interest.

Question

What was it about the CV of Richard Sharp that first attracted the Government to appoint him as chair of the corporation? Do you consider his past association with a firm described by a Conservative MP as creating 'modern ghettos for the vulnerable' consistent with BBC values?

Answer from Oliver Dowden

An excellent choice has been made in the choice of the new chair of the BBC. He is deeply committed to the BBC, but it would be better if slurs against him were refrained from being made.

Not addressed: The specific ask about Richard Sharp's CV and its alignment with BBC values was not addressed, focusing instead on discouraging criticism of the appointee.

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