Asked by: Chris Bryant (Labour - Rhondda)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, how many premises were able to access a gigabit-capable broadband connection in each constituency in the period between March 2019 and March 2024.
Answered by Julia Lopez - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
Constituency-level statistics detailing the percentage of premises with access to a gigabit-capable connection over this period are available from the independent website Think Broadband.com.
As of March 2024, over 81% of premises across the UK are able to access a gigabit-capable connection, up from just 6% in March 2019.
Asked by: Chris Bryant (Labour - Rhondda)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, whether she has made an assessment of the potential impact on patients receiving letters from the NHS of changes to the universal service obligation.
Answered by Kevin Hollinrake - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)
Ofcom, as the independent regulator of postal services, is responsible for ensuring that the universal postal service meets the reasonable needs of customers as well as being financially sustainable and efficient. The Government does not have a role in Ofcom’s regulatory decisions.
The Government expects Ofcom to take full account of users’ needs, including users of important public services, in assessing the feedback on its recent Call for Inputs.
The Government will consider any recommendations that Ofcom puts forward, but Ministers are not currently minded to introduce new legislation to change the obligations on postal deliveries.
Asked by: Chris Bryant (Labour - Rhondda)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many recorded incidents of disease were connected to imports from the EU of (a) gypsophila, (b) solidago, (c) orchids, (d) dianthus and (e) chrysanthemum between 2020 and 2023.
Answered by Mark Spencer - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
During 2020 – 2023 there were no findings of disease on cut flowers of the stated genera from the EU. Please note that import physical checks on cut flowers from the EU were not required during this time.
Asked by: Chris Bryant (Labour - Rhondda)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many (a) gypsophila, (b) solidago, (c) orchids, (d) dianthus and (e) chrysanthemum consignments were imported from the EU between 2020 and 2023.
Answered by Mark Spencer - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
During 2020 – 2023 there were 54,432 imports of cut flowers of the stated genera from the EU.
Asked by: Chris Bryant (Labour - Rhondda)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what was the total number of cut flower imports between 2010 and 2020.
Answered by Mark Spencer - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
During 2010 – 2020 there were 177,113 imports of cut flowers.
Asked by: Chris Bryant (Labour - Rhondda)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, pursuant to the Answer of 1 May 2024 to Question 23701 on Voice over Internet Protocol: Local Government, which local authorities her Department has had discussions with; and on what dates those discussions took place.
Answered by Julia Lopez - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
The Department has previously engaged with Local Authorities on this issue via the Local Government Association. This engagement is ongoing and is in addition to frequent meetings with other relevant stakeholders, including industry and the signatories of the Charter.
Asked by: Chris Bryant (Labour - Rhondda)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, which stakeholders her Department has had discussions with on the Telecare National Action Plan.
Answered by Julia Lopez - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
The Department has engaged with key stakeholders on the Telecare National Action Plan, including the telecoms sector, telecare sector, the independent telecoms regulator Ofcom, the third sector – including Which?, Citizen's Advice, and Silver Voices - and other Government departments.
Asked by: Chris Bryant (Labour - Rhondda)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, when she will publish a response to her Department’s consultation entitled Smarter regulation: strengthening the economic regulation of the energy, water and telecoms sectors, which closed on 28th January 2024.
Answered by Kevin Hollinrake - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)
The response to the consultation is expected to be published shortly as part of the Department’s Smarter Regulation programme.
Asked by: Chris Bryant (Labour - Rhondda)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what steps he has taken to help ensure that (a) energy companies and (b) network operators can contact consumers on the Energy Priority Services Register during a power cut once the public switched telephone network switchover is complete.
Answered by Amanda Solloway - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
Ofgem rules require all energy suppliers and network operators to provide and maintain a Priority Service Register, which is a free support service available to people in vulnerable situations. Wherever possible, PSR customers should receive advanced notice of scheduled power cuts and given priority support in emergencies, and nominee schemes so that friends and family can be contacted and act on behalf of the householder.
Asked by: Chris Bryant (Labour - Rhondda)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, if she will publish a list of meetings her Department has had with local authorities on the switch off of the public switched telephone network since April 2023.
Answered by Julia Lopez - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
The Department has regular meetings with Local Authorities on this issue. That is in addition to frequent meetings with other relevant stakeholders, including industry and the signatories of the Charter.