Asked by: Angus Brendan MacNeil (Independent - Na h-Eileanan an Iar)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport what contingency plans he has with respect to the UK's future relationship with the EU in the event of a UK-based companies being disadvantaged through the treatment of data after the transition period.
Answered by John Whittingdale
We are working constructively with the Commission to secure data adequacy by the end of the transition period. We see no reason why we should not be awarded adequacy. However, the process is controlled by the Commission, and we are realistic about the increasingly challenging timelines for completion.
If adequacy decisions are not in place by the end of the transition period, organisations would be able to use alternative legal mechanisms to continue receiving personal data from the EU. Standard Contractual Clauses (SCCs) are the most common legal safeguard and will be the relevant mitigation for most organisations.
The ICO has created an interactive SCCs tool for businesses to use and further guidance can be found on GOV.UK and the ICO’s website regarding steps organisations may be required to take relating to data protection and data flows by the end of the transition period.
Asked by: Angus Brendan MacNeil (Independent - Na h-Eileanan an Iar)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, how many officials of her Department, its agencies and non-departmental public bodies have the word trade in their job title.
Answered by Matt Hancock
From departmental records, the present number of officials with the word trade in their job title is currently 9; with further recruitment on-going. This resource is complemented by officials in sector teams working on a range of sector-specific trade-related issues across the department.
The information requested on our agencies is not held centrally.
Asked by: Angus Brendan MacNeil (Independent - Na h-Eileanan an Iar)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, how many voucher codes have been issued to date to households in Na h-Eileanan an Iar constituency under the national satellite broadband subsidy scheme; and what proportion of those codes has led to an order.
Answered by Lord Vaizey of Didcot
The total number of voucher codes issued in Na h-Eileanan an Iar constituency under the Basic Broadband Scheme is 13 and this has led to five orders to date.
Asked by: Angus Brendan MacNeil (Independent - Na h-Eileanan an Iar)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, pursuant to the Answer of 12 January 2015 to Question 220134, whether the 90 per cent 4G geographical coverage will cover the Outer Hebrides.
Answered by Lord Vaizey of Didcot
The agreement announced on 18 December 2014 will improve coverage throughout the UK, and we expect the Scottish Islands will see one of the greatest improvements of any area. Under the agreement each mobile network operator (MNO) will provide voice and text coverage to at least 90% of the UK landmass by 2017, and we understand that data coverage will improve in many areas. This will lock in £5bn of investment in UK mobile infrastructure, halving partial not-spots and cutting complete not-spots by two-thirds. The MNOs have now made the agreed coverage obligations legally binding, by requesting that Ofcom vary their spectrum licences on a voluntary basis.
Asked by: Angus Brendan MacNeil (Independent - Na h-Eileanan an Iar)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what steps he is taking to promote roaming and mast sharing in areas without comprehensive mobile telephone coverage on all networks.
Answered by Lord Vaizey of Didcot
On December 17 Government announced a landmark deal that locks in £5bn of investment by MNOs and will deliver 90% geographic coverage from each mobile operator by 2017. The agreement will be made legally binding through amended licence conditions and will improve mobile coverage across the UK. This will halve partial not-spots (where some but not all mobile network operators provide coverage) and reduce complete not-spots by almost two-thirds.
Details of the agreement are available online at https://www.gov.uk/government/news/government-secures-landmark-deal-for-uk-mobile-phone-users. It is now for MNOs to determine how best to deliver the agreed coverage improvements.
Asked by: Angus Brendan MacNeil (Independent - Na h-Eileanan an Iar)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what steps he is taking to ensure that mobile coverage up to 4G levels is provided in rural areas to ensure communication resilience in the event for lightning.
Answered by Lord Vaizey of Didcot
It is for mobile network operators (MNOs) to plan their networks to provide the best service for their customers, including appropriate measures to provide resilience in a variety of scenarios.
The issue of mobile coverage is a key concern for Government and on December 17 Government announced a landmark deal that locks in £5bn of investment by MNOs and will deliver 90% geographic coverage from each mobile operator by 2017. The agreement will be made legally binding through amended licence conditions and will improve mobile coverage across the UK. Details of the agreement are available online at https://www.gov.uk/government/news/government-secures-landmark-deal-for-uk-mobile-phone-users.
Asked by: Angus Brendan MacNeil (Independent - Na h-Eileanan an Iar)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what progress his Department has made on constructing mobile masts under the Mobile Infrastructure Project.
Answered by Lord Vaizey of Didcot
Through the Mobile Infrastructure Project the Government is investing up to £150 million to improve coverage in areas with no coverage for voice calls or text messages. The project aims to address coverage in the final 0.3-0.4% of the population without basic coverage, and increase 3G and 4G coverage across sites within the network.
I am pleased to announce our strong progress with identifying suitable sites and we are working towards confirming network connections, and acquiring sites and planning permissions.
Asked by: Angus Brendan MacNeil (Independent - Na h-Eileanan an Iar)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what steps he has taken to facilitate the deployment of fixed and mobile broadband networks; and when he plans to bring forward legislative proposals to implement the review of the Electronic Communications Code.
Answered by Lord Vaizey of Didcot
The UK Government has committed £790m central funding to improving coverage of superfast and standard broadband in the UK. Together with local sources of match funding this represents up to £1.7bn of public funding. The Scottish Government has been allocated over £100m from central funds to support the roll-out of superfast and standard broadband in Scotland. The Scottish Government is responsible for the projects in Scotland. And information about the Highland & Islands projects can be found on the Highlands and Islands Enterprise website.
The DCMS worked closely with the Department of Communities and Local Government to design and implement a package of planning relaxations in England in 2013. These changes support the roll-out of fixed line high-speed broadband in protected areas, and high-speed mobile broadband (4G) in protected and unprotected areas by removing the need to seek planning permission for specified developments.
I am still considering my position on the reform of the Electronic Communications Code and will outline my plans shortly. I want to ensure that any reforms to the Code provide effective but balanced support to expand communications infrastructure and improve network coverage for the benefit of the public and businesses across the UK.
Asked by: Angus Brendan MacNeil (Independent - Na h-Eileanan an Iar)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, with reference to the Law Commission's report on the Electronic Communications Code, published on 27 February 2013, what his response is to the proposals set out in that report for reform of the Electronics Communications Code.
Answered by Lord Vaizey of Didcot
Since the Law Commission published its report on the reform of the Electronic Communications Code in February 2013, the DCMS has been considering the implications of the recommendations on network roll-out and service provision to consumers. In January 2014 we published an economic analysis of the impact of various way leave valuation regimes. The analysis of these recommendations and their effect on network roll-out and service provisions is ongoing. I will make public the plans to reform the Electronic Communications Code, and respond to the Law Commission’s report in due course.