Asked by: Alister Jack (Conservative - Dumfries and Galloway)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what recent assessment his Department has made of the extent and quality of mobile phone coverage in Dumfries and Galloway.
Answered by Margot James
According to Ofcom's Connected Nations 2017 report (published on 15 December 2017), indoor premises voice coverage by at least one Mobile Network Operator (MNO) was 97% (with 63% from all four MNOs) in Dumfries and Galloway, while indoor premises data coverage was 96% (51% from all four).
However, the Government recognises that there is still more to do to improve coverage. That is why we reformed the Electronic Communications Code in 2017, to make it cheaper to install digital infrastructure and this should help improve coverage in the UK, including Scotland. We also welcome the Scottish Government's planning reforms introduced in 2017 that follow our 2016 reforms in England to support infrastructure rollout. We are committed to having good quality coverage where people live, work and travel and welcome that Ofcom is considering new licence obligations for rural coverage as part of the upcoming 700 MHz spectrum auction.
Asked by: Alister Jack (Conservative - Dumfries and Galloway)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what steps his Department is taking to improve mobile phone coverage in Dumfries and Galloway.
Answered by Margot James
According to Ofcom's Connected Nations 2017 report (published on 15 December 2017), indoor premises voice coverage by at least one Mobile Network Operator (MNO) was 97% (with 63% from all four MNOs) in Dumfries and Galloway, while indoor premises data coverage was 96% (51% from all four).
However, the Government recognises that there is still more to do to improve coverage. That is why we reformed the Electronic Communications Code in 2017, to make it cheaper to install digital infrastructure and this should help improve coverage in the UK, including Scotland. We also welcome the Scottish Government's planning reforms introduced in 2017 that follow our 2016 reforms in England to support infrastructure rollout. We are committed to having good quality coverage where people live, work and travel and welcome that Ofcom is considering new licence obligations for rural coverage as part of the upcoming 700 MHz spectrum auction.
Asked by: Alister Jack (Conservative - Dumfries and Galloway)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what recent assessment his Department has made of the level of availability of DAB radio in rural parts of Scotland.
Answered by Margot James
DCMS does not collect this type of information. The independent communications regulator Ofcom publishes an annual review of the digital radio market, which includes data on the availability of DAB radio services by Nation. The last report was published in November 2017. DAB coverage figures for Scotland are set out in the table below.
| UK Wide BBC | UK wide commercial radio | |
Digital One | Sound Digital | ||
Scotland Homes | 95.3% | 81.7% | 65.4% |
Scotland Major roads | 69.1% | 45.5% | 32.5% |
Asked by: Alister Jack (Conservative - Dumfries and Galloway)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what steps his Department is taking to improve the availability of DAB radio in (a) Scotland and (b) Dumfries and Galloway.
Answered by Margot James
We are working with the radio industry to improve digital radio coverage for listeners. DCMS has provided around £7.3m capital funding - in conjunction with on-going financial support from the BBC and commercial radio - to support the long term expansion of the local digital radio (DAB) network across the UK.
In December 2014 a commitment was made to a programme of work including a total of 182 new local DAB transmitters built across Scotland, Wales, England and Northern Ireland, and technical improvements at a further 49 existing local DAB transmitter sites. According to Ofcom the programme to upgrade the local DAB network in Scotland is predicted to increase the coverage of local digital radio services from 65% to around 86% of Scottish homes, up by over 20%.
Separately, under phase 4 of its expansion, the BBC has rolled out its national DAB network to a further 163 transmitter sites across the UK. This programme of work has included new DAB transmitters at 4 sites in Dumfries and Galloway serving: Kirkconnel, Langholm, Moffat, Sanquhar and Thornhill. The BBC’s phase 4 expansion programme has seen an increase in the coverage of its national DAB network in Scotland from 91% to 95% of homes.
Asked by: Alister Jack (Conservative - Dumfries and Galloway)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what discussions his Department has had with representatives of the National Lottery on the effect on lottery tickets sales of the price change of National Lottery tickets since that price change was made in 2013.
Answered by Tracey Crouch
The National Lottery is regulated by the Gambling Commission, who are responsible for approving proposed changes to National Lottery games. The Commission must be satisfied that any proposals from the operator pose no threat to the propriety of the National Lottery, that player protection will be maintained, and subject to these that returns to good causes are likely to be maximised. The Department meets regularly with the Gambling Commission to discuss regulatory matters. In addition, the Department meets with the Gambling Commission and Camelot as operator of The National Lottery on a quarterly basis. This meetings include discussions on the overall level ticket sales and returns to good causes, and factors which have influenced them.
Asked by: Alister Jack (Conservative - Dumfries and Galloway)
Question to the Department for International Trade:
What steps his Department is taking to help small and medium-sized British businesses to export.
Answered by Liam Fox
The great.gov.uk website offers small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) digital tools to start or expand exporting. Companies across the UK can access our overseas network, high-value campaigns and international events programme. In addition, last year UK Export Finance provided £3 billion to 221 UK companies - 79% of which were SMEs.
Asked by: Alister Jack (Conservative - Dumfries and Galloway)
Question to the Scotland Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, what assessment his Department has made of the contribution to the economy of (a) Dumfries and Galloway and (b) Scotland of the Port of Cairnryan.
Answered by David Mundell
Dumfries and Galloway are one of five local authority partners who have jointly submitted a proposition for the Borderlands Growth Deal. The Borderlands proposition has been developed to tackle the economic challenges across the area, need for population growth, and improved productivity all within the context of the emerging economy.
Whilst Dumfries and Galloway’s economy was worth nearly £3 billion in 2016, 2.2% of Scottish total, the economic output per person was lower than the average across Scotland (£24,876), at £19,826. It is positive that Dumfries and Galloway outperforms the national average in terms of labour market outcomes. Employment rate in Dumfries and Galloway stood at 76.1% in the year to end September 2017 (73.9% in Scotland overall). Unemployment stood at 3.3% (4.3% in Scotland overall).
The Borderlands Growth Deal proposition also calls for investment in transport infrastructure to create a platform for inclusive growth, this includes the upgrading of the A75 as part of the “South West Scotland and Northern Ireland Strategic Growth Corridor” and a proposal to duel the A75 from Dumfries to the M74. This would further support traffic going to the Port of Cairnryan, which provides crucial ferry services to Belfast.
Asked by: Alister Jack (Conservative - Dumfries and Galloway)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many businesses have participated in the Enterprise Investment Scheme and the Seed Enterprise Investment Scheme since the inception of those programmes.
Answered by Mel Stride - Secretary of State for Work and Pensions
HMRC publishes reports on the number of companies that have participated in the Enterprise Investment Scheme (EIS) and the Seed Enterprise Investment Scheme (SEIS).
Since the inception of these schemes, 26,355 companies have participated in EIS and 6,665 companies in SEIS.
Further information about the take-up of these schemes up to the end of 2015/16 (the most recent figures) can be found here:
Asked by: Alister Jack (Conservative - Dumfries and Galloway)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what recent assessment his Department has made of the effectiveness of the (a) Enterprise Investment Scheme and the (b) Seed Enterprise Investment Scheme.
Answered by Mel Stride - Secretary of State for Work and Pensions
HM Treasury recently conducted a thorough assessment of the Enterprise Investment Scheme (EIS) and Seed Enterprise Investment Scheme (SEIS) as part of the Patient Capital Review (PCR).
The PCR consultation Financing Growth in Innovative Firms along with the government response, published at Autumn Budget 2017, can be accessed here:
https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/financing-growth-in-innovative-firms
Asked by: Alister Jack (Conservative - Dumfries and Galloway)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what information his Department holds on the number of National Lottery tickets sold in the last 12 months.
Answered by Tracey Crouch
The Department receives a weekly breakdown of sales for all National Lottery games from the Gambling Commission. The data provided are given as total value of sales, rather than numbers of tickets sold. This data is not shared publicly for reasons of commercial confidentiality. However, data on sales are published three months in arrears by Camelot, these can be found at:
http://www.camelotgroup.co.uk/about-us/reporting