Asked by: Christopher Chope (Conservative - Christchurch)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what steps he is taking to publicise the (a) legal right for households to have an internet connection of at least 10Mbps and (b) entitlement to an upgrade to a fibre connection if other interventions fail; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Matt Warman
The Universal Service Conditions set out by Ofcom require the two Universal Service Providers (BT and KCOM in the Hull area) to take ‘reasonable steps... to raise awareness of the potential availability of Broadband Services under these Conditions among members of the public’. As of September 2020, BT had directly contacted 47,000 premises that are eligible for the Universal Service Obligation.
In addition, Ofcom, who are responsible for implementing the Universal Service Obligation, are taking their own steps to publicise it through both their website and a localised, geo-targeted social media campaign.
The Universal Service Obligation is technology neutral. It provides a legal right to request a decent broadband connection delivering a minimum 10Mbps download speed. It does not limit the technologies that can be used by the Universal Service Provider to deliver the minimum specification or provide a legal right for consumers to request an upgrade to a fibre connection. That said, the Universal Service Providers have provided fibre connections under the Universal Service Obligation where this is the most efficient technology solution.
In addition, the government has a number of other programmes to help people upgrade to gigabit capable connections, including the rural Gigabit Voucher Scheme for example. This is in addition to our commitment to invest £5bn from April 2021 to bring gigabit coverage to the hardest to reach areas as part of the UK Gigabit Programme.
Asked by: Christopher Chope (Conservative - Christchurch)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what estimate he has made of the number of households with an internet connection with a speed which cannot exceed 10Mbps; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Matt Warman
Ofcom’s Connected Nations Report 2019 estimated that the number of households that could not receive a ‘decent’ broadband service providing at least 10Mbps download speeds from either a fixed line or Fixed Wireless Access (FWA) connection, and are therefore potentially eligible for a connection under the Universal Service Obligation, was 189,000 premises. Ofcom’s Connected Nations Report 2020 is due to be published before the end of the year, and we expect to see a further reduction in the number of premises that cannot access a broadband service that meets the specification under the Universal Service Obligation.
Asked by: Christopher Chope (Conservative - Christchurch)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, how many organisations in Christchurch constituency have applied for funding through the Coronavirus Community Support Fund; and what criteria are used to assess those applications.
Answered by John Whittingdale
The Government has made available an unprecedented £750 million package of support, specifically for charities, social enterprises and the voluntary sector. This will ensure charities and other civil society organisations, including those at risk of financial hardship, can continue their vital work during the Covid-19 outbreak.
£200 million of this package is being administered and distributed by the National Lottery Community Fund (TNLCF) through the Coronavirus Community Support Fund which is mainly targeting smaller and local VCSE organisations. TNLCF received 7 total applications from Christchurch constituency for the Coronavirus Community Support Fund. 3 were successful, 3 were unsuccessful and 1 was withdrawn by the applicant. Each of the unsuccessful applicants were provided with the results of their application and the reason for being unsuccessful.
Applications to the CCSF are assessed on the extent to which they meet the objectives of the Programme as set out in guidance published on the NLCF website, including among other criteria: Organisations that support people and communities who have experienced disproportionate challenge and difficulty as a result of the COVID-19 crisis; Organisations providing services and support for vulnerable people, for which there will be increased demand as a result of the COVID-19 crisis; and Organisations which connect communities and support communities to work together to respond to Covid-19.
Asked by: Christopher Chope (Conservative - Christchurch)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, if he will extend access to the £1.57 billion support package for cultural and heritage organisations to members of the Professional Lighting and Sound Association affected by the covid-19 lockdown restrictions on the live events sector; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Caroline Dinenage
We recognise the crucial role that individuals play in making our arts and creative industries world-leading. As a result of these grants and loans, organisations will be more able to resume cultural activity, albeit in a socially distanced way, which will increase employment opportunities for freelancers. Each organisation that receives money will know what best they can do to support their workforce, including their freelance workforce. To complement the funding for organisations made available by Government, ACE have announced £95m of additional support for individuals, and ACE will also be adding £2m into relevant benevolent funds to support those including stage managers and technicians.
Asked by: Christopher Chope (Conservative - Christchurch)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, with reference to his 5 July 2020 press release, when the Government plans to finalise its guidance on a phased return of the performing arts sector.
Answered by Caroline Dinenage
The Performing Arts guidance published on 9 July sets out how organisations can prepare for and deliver their activities at each of the five stages set out in the Performing Arts Roadmap. This allows organisations to understand what will be required of them as we move to allowing fuller audiences within venues as set out for Stage 5 of the roadmap. We have always been clear that moving forward with the performing Arts roadmap depended on the prevalence of COVID-19.'
Asked by: Christopher Chope (Conservative - Christchurch)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, if he will arrange an early meeting with the Professional Lighting and Sound Association to discuss the effect upon their members of the continuing covid-19 lockdown restrictions on the live events sector.
Answered by Caroline Dinenage
We recognise the crucial role that lighting and sound technicians play in the UK’s live music and events sector.
DCMS continues to engage with a range of trade representatives and Government departments to support creative businesses, and ensuring that the needs of its sectors, and those who work in them, are fully understood.
We are committed to continuing to work with the live music and events sectors to understand the difficulties they face and help them access support through these challenging times and through recovery.
Asked by: Christopher Chope (Conservative - Christchurch)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what regulatory impact assessment the Government made of the effect of the decision to extend the restrictions on (a) cricket, (b) indoor swimming, and (c) real tennis beyond 4 July 2020; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Nigel Huddleston - Shadow Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport
Sports and physical activity facilities play a crucial role in supporting adults and children to be active.The Government has made it clear that it will adopt a phased approach based on scientific and medical advice, and that the primary goal is to protect public health.
The government is in regular contact with representatives of sports, including cricket, swimming and tennis, to discuss both the impact of Covid-19 on sports and to explore how and when grassroots sport can safely resume once lockdown restrictions start to ease. The government has asked individual sports to consider the steps that would need to be taken, and the conditions that would need to be met, for their activity to resume.