Commons Sense

House of Commons · Ministers' Questions

Internet Access for Households and Businesses

Thursday 7 July 2022 · 3 questions

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

Read the full transcript on Parliament.uk

At a glance

Answered 0 Partly answered 2 Not answered 0

Key points

  • Harriett Baldwin asked about steps to ensure internet access for all households and businesses in England and West Worcestershire.
  • The Minister reported that 97.5% of premises in England and 95% in West Worcestershire can access superfast broadband.
  • The Minister announced a 5 billion investment through Project Gigabit to provide gigabit connectivity across the UK.

Topics (select to filter)

Questions & Answers

Q1 Harriett Baldwin Con West Worcestershire
Science & Technology
Context

Only 97.5% of premises in England and 95% in West Worcestershire have access to superfast broadband. Harriet Baldwin is concerned about the remaining unconnected households and businesses.

Question

What steps she is taking to help ensure all households and businesses in (a) England and (b) West Worcestershire constituency are able to access fast and reliable internet connections?

Answer from Nadine Dorries

Only 97.5% of premises in England and 95% in West Worcestershire can access superfast broadband of at least 30 megabits per second. We are now bringing forward investment of £5 billion through Project Gigabit to provide gigabit connectivity to premises across the UK that are not covered through the commercial delivery. We have already provided gigabit coverage to 600,000 premises in areas that previously only had low speeds. We are aiming to commence procurement for gigabit coverage in Worcestershire between September and November of this year.

Partly answered

Not addressed: The specific ask about measures to improve internet coverage was not directly addressed, focusing instead on broader investment plans.

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Q2 Harriett Baldwin Con West Worcestershire
Environment
Context

In West Worcestershire, around 9% of the constituency is still not covered by internet connectivity. This includes a significant challenge in forming groups for voucher schemes due to last-minute withdrawals.

Question

The figures I have got from the House of Commons Library for West Worcestershire say that 9% of my constituency is still not covered. That is because it is very cumbersome to put together the groups of people with vouchers to make a scheme viable, and they are very vulnerable to someone withdrawing their voucher at the last minute. Will the Secretary of State look at ways to improve that, so we can have someone underwriting and strengthening the delivery of this important service to rural areas?

Answer from Nadine Dorries

Hundreds of premises in rural areas across my hon. Friend's constituency, which I know well, have received gigabit-capable connections through the voucher scheme, but, as she says, there are some fragilities to that. We will be bringing forward our Project Gigabit procurement for suppliers to provide coverage to premises that are not covered by the commercial providers, or where vouchers are not the most effective approach.

Partly answered

Not addressed: While acknowledging challenges with voucher schemes, no specific improvements were committed to addressing the reliability and stability issues mentioned.

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Q3 Chi Onwurah Lab Newcastle upon Tyne Central and West
Science & Technology
Context

The absence of a digital inclusion strategy under successive Conservative governments has led to a broadening digital divide, impacting rural and urban areas differently. The last digital inclusion strategy was in 2014.

Question

The Secretary of State refers, I presume, to the current Prime Minister's commitment that no one be left behind, but she knows well that under successive Conservative Governments, the absence of a digital inclusion strategy means that the digital divide has broadened, whether it be between rural and urban, between those who have digital skills and those who do not, or between those who can afford broadband and those who cannot. The last digital inclusion strategy was in 2014. When will a new one appear?

Answer from Nadine Dorries

The progress with which we have commenced the roll-out of gigabit broadband across the UK has been exemplary. Just last week, I held a roundtable with telecommunications providers to urge them to look at social tariffs and to offer lower rates to those who are left behind and cannot afford the rates that others can.

Not addressed: The specific ask about introducing a new digital inclusion strategy was not addressed, instead focusing on recent activities without commitment to future policy.

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