Asked by: Jamie Stone (Liberal Democrat - Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what the total value was of the cover provided to theatre events insured under the UK Live Events Reinsurance Scheme.
Answered by Julia Lopez - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
As set out in its response of 8 December, the Government is unable to share commercially sensitive data related to the Live Events Reinsurance Scheme.
Asked by: Jamie Stone (Liberal Democrat - Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross)
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 theatre events that have been successfully insured under the Live Events Reinsurance Scheme.
Answered by Julia Lopez - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
The Government recognises the important contribution the theatre sector makes to the UK’s culture and economy and the significant challenges the sector has faced as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. The Live Events Reinsurance Scheme provides live events across the country with the confidence to plan for future events, and as such will support the UK’s post-Covid economic recovery.
We are unable to share commercially sensitive data about the events that have purchased eligible policies.
Asked by: Jamie Stone (Liberal Democrat - Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, when her Department plans to publish the Product Security and Telecommunications Infrastructure Bill.
Answered by Julia Lopez - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
My department’s response to the consultation on the potential reform of the Electronic Communications Code was published on 24 November 2021.
The proposed reforms set out in the response were brought forward in the Product Security and Telecommunication Infrastructure Bill, which was introduced in the House of Commons on 24 November 2021.
Asked by: Jamie Stone (Liberal Democrat - Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, if she will commit to publishing her Department’s response to the consultation on potential reform of the Electronic Communications Code by the end of 2021.
Answered by Julia Lopez - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
My department’s response to the consultation on the potential reform of the Electronic Communications Code was published on 24 November 2021.
The proposed reforms set out in the response were brought forward in the Product Security and Telecommunication Infrastructure Bill, which was introduced in the House of Commons on 24 November 2021.
Asked by: Jamie Stone (Liberal Democrat - Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross)
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 (a) telegraph poles and (b) ducts situated on private land in (i) England and (ii) Scotland.
Answered by Julia Lopez - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
The Department does not have access to the number of telegraph poles or ducts situated on private land across the UK, as this is a matter for each individual operator.
The Digital Connectivity Infrastructure Accelerator (DCIA) programme, led by DCMS, is exploring the challenges of using publicly owned infrastructure assets to support roll out of advanced wireless networks, reducing the demand for additional telegraph poles and other new structures. The Digital Asset Management workstream within this programme, is looking to help local authorities improve knowledge of existing public sector assets, for use by mobile network operators.
In addition, the Geospatial Commission is developing the National Underground Asset Register (NUAR) for England, Wales and Northern Ireland, to drive efficiencies in infrastructure delivery across the UK and help improve worker safety, which may capture some of this data in the future.
The Electronic Communications Code (the Code) is the statutory framework for the installation of digital infrastructure, which applies equally to both public and private land. The full list of operators that have powers under the Code to install, maintain and upgrade digital infrastructure can be found on Ofcom’s website.
Asked by: Jamie Stone (Liberal Democrat - Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment he has made of whether the rollout of full fibre infrastructure is (a) faster, (b) less disruptive and (c) cheaper when using existing duct and pole infrastructure.
Answered by Julia Lopez - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
The government believes that reusing existing infrastructure, including but not limited to existing ducts and poles, can significantly reduce the time, cost and environmental impact of rolling out new broadband networks. Civil works, in particular installing new ducts and poles (or passive infrastructure), comprise the majority of costs of deploying gigabit broadband networks. In its Wholesale Fixed Telecoms Market Review 2021, Ofcom estimated that the reuse of Openreach’s duct and pole network cut the costs of deployment by around half.
Since 2019, Ofcom has mandated open access to Openreach’s ducts and poles, making it easier and quicker to deploy digital infrastructure networks. Furthermore, the government has consulted on making changes to the Access to Infrastructure regulations which support deployment using non-telecoms infrastructure.
Asked by: Jamie Stone (Liberal Democrat - Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, how many and what proportion of telegraph poles situated on private land in Scotland were installed after 2017.
Answered by Julia Lopez - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
The Department does not have access to the number of telegraph poles or ducts situated on private land across the UK, as this is a matter for each individual operator.