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Project Gigabit
26 November 2024
Lead MP
Gregory Stafford
Farnham and Bordon
Con
Responding Minister
Chris Bryant
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Word Count: 8140
Other Contributors: 12
At a Glance
Gregory Stafford raised concerns about project gigabit in Westminster Hall. A government minister responded.
Key Requests to Government:
The full £5 billion allocated to Project Gigabit should be retained, funding should be divided proportionately between urban and rural areas, and non-commercially viable regions must receive priority investment. The Labour Government must ensure that no community is left behind in the digital age.
How the Debate Unfolded
MPs spoke in turn to share their views and ask questions. Here's what each person said:
Lead Contributor
Broadband access remains a critical issue in rural areas. Despite progress, significant disparities persist between urban and rural broadband coverage. In the constituency of Farnham and Bordon, only 65.5% of premises have gigabit-capable broadband compared to 81% nationally. Specific villages like Dippenhall and Greatham suffer from extremely poor connectivity with speeds as low as 1 megabit per second. These challenges affect constituents' access to healthcare, education, and job opportunities, exacerbating digital inequality.
Ann Davies
PC
Caerfyrddin
Gigabit availability in Caerfyrddin, west Wales, stands at 42%, compared to the Welsh average of 70% and UK average of 79%. The Public Accounts Committee has indicated that the 2030 target for full UK-wide gigabit coverage is not feasible given delays and reliance on commercial providers.
Ben Spencer
Con
Runnymede and Weybridge
The speaker acknowledged the importance of Project Gigabit in delivering gigabit broadband to households. He cited statistics showing an increase from 7% coverage in 2019 to 81% as of April 2024, suggesting that the target of reaching 85% may have already been achieved. Ben emphasized the role of industry and public subsidy in rolling out gigabit broadband, expressing concerns about future inequalities between rural and urban areas.
Redditch
The MP congratulated Gregory Stafford on securing the debate and acknowledged the challenges faced by rural communities in accessing broadband. He emphasised the importance of connectivity for residents, businesses, and council services. The MP also asked about Government plans to support remote locations where full-fibre connections may be prohibitively expensive.
Damian Hinds
Con
East Hampshire
My hon. Friend is right to identify progress in constituencies like Farnham, Bordon and East Hampshire but argues that improvement is urgent for rural areas where there is already poor or no mobile signal and broadband speed. Mr Hinds highlighted the adverse impact of poor broadband access on elderly and vulnerable residents, underscoring the need for accelerated rollout efforts.
James Naish
Lab
Rushcliffe
The MP highlighted the slow roll-out of full-fibre broadband in hard-to-reach properties, citing a constituent's experience in Tollerton. He noted that 6 million properties are classified as area 3 by Ofcom and expressed frustration over delays in upgrading connections. The MP also welcomed the new Government's commitment to achieving full gigabit and national 5G coverage by 2030.
Jim Shannon
DUP
Strangford
Whenever the DUP were in partnership with the Conservatives, a £200 million boost was provided to Northern Ireland for better connectivity. Currently, 96.42% of premises have up-to-date connectivity but there are still 60,000 rural businesses needing coverage.
Joe Morris
Lab
Hexham
Mr Morris highlighted issues with broadband speeds in rural areas of his large constituency, citing specific villages struggling to get appropriate internet speeds. He stressed that many communities were left isolated by the Conservative government for 14 years and expressed hope that Labour could ensure rural businesses have access to high-speed internet.
Luke Charters
Lab
York Outer
Describes the broadband challenges in his constituency, including poor connectivity in some areas while others have excellent service. Mentions a Ministry of Defence site with slow internet and requests a meeting to address this issue. Also highlights residents in Haxby and Hopgrove who are struggling due to missed broadband rollouts.
Richard Foord
Lib Dem
Honiton and Sidmouth
Mr Foord detailed the shortcomings of broadband policy in his constituency, mentioning Gittisham where commercial providers failed to deliver full-fibre connections despite multiple attempts. He noted that the local authority-led body had scaled back its roll-out plans, leaving many areas underserved with only 61% gigabit-capable coverage.
Tim Farron
Lib Dem
Westmorland and Lonsdale
Highlights the issues faced by his constituency despite Project Gigabit, including isolated properties that will not be connected. Expresses concern about communities in deferred scope without access to vouchers or B4RN services. Requests the Minister to either give a connection date for these areas or allow them to join the voucher scheme.
Torcuil Crichton
Lab
Na h-Eileanan an Iar
Mr Crichton discussed the challenges faced by rural communities in the Western Isles, particularly in Diracleit where tourism businesses suffer due to poor internet connections. He pointed out that despite some success stories, 10% of households still cannot get decent broadband speeds, and criticized delays in implementing schemes like the Scottish broadband voucher scheme.
Victoria Collins
Lib Dem
Harpenden and Berkhamsted
The speaker emphasized the importance of broadband connectivity for economic opportunities, mentioning inequality in internet access across constituencies. She highlighted specific cases where individuals were unable to receive adequate internet services despite eligibility issues. The constituent's inability to get 4G access in Ashridge was a key example. Victoria also raised concerns about patchy roll-out and the disparity between rural and urban areas.
Government Response
Chris Bryant
Government Response
The Minister stated that the ambition remains to achieve gigabit-capable broadband for nearly every property in the UK by 2030. Challenges include commercial viability, which changes over time, affecting decisions on subsidised roll-outs. The market's long-term investments and operator commitments are also factors. Collaboration among operators is encouraged within competition law bounds. Alternative solutions like wi-fi or satellite may be necessary for hard-to-reach areas. Digital inclusion strategies must address physical access, skills, poverty, disability, and other barriers. The majority of funding will continue to go to rural areas despite the misconception that funds are being redirected to urban ones.
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About Westminster Hall Debates
Westminster Hall debates are a chance for MPs to raise important issues affecting their constituents and get a response from a government minister. Unlike Prime Minister's Questions, these debates are more in-depth and collaborative. The MP who secured the debate speaks first, other MPs can contribute, and a minister responds with the government's position.