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Written Question
Horse Racing: Scotland
Friday 19th January 2018

Asked by: John Lamont (Conservative - Berwickshire, Roxburgh and Selkirk)

Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what estimate his Department has made of the contribution of the horseracing industry to the economy in Scotland.

Answered by Tracey Crouch

The Government recognises the valuable contribution horseracing makes to rural economies across Britain. A recent economic impact study commissioned by Scottish Racing found that the Scottish horseracing industry generated £302 million in revenues in 2016, sustains 3,430 jobs, and generates £30m of tax revenues per annum. Further detail is provided in Scottish Racing’s 2016 Annual Review: http://www.scottishracing.co.uk/annual-review/

In April 2017 the Government implemented reforms to the Horserace Betting Levy, which extended the Levy to offshore online operators. This is expected to result in a significant increase in Levy income for the benefit of the sport across the whole of Britain.

Written Question
Mobile Phones
Thursday 18th January 2018

Asked by: John Lamont (Conservative - Berwickshire, Roxburgh and Selkirk)

Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment his Department has made of whether mobile phone providers have met their legally binding agreement to provide a mobile phone signal to 90 per cent of the UK’s landmass by the end of 2017.

Answered by Margot James

The regulator Ofcom is responsible for enforcing spectrum licence obligations and it is assessing whether mobile network operators have met their licence obligations that were agreed in 2014. Ofcom plans to publish its assessment in early 2018. In 2017 the Government granted Ofcom new powers to issue fines to mobile operators in the event that they do not meet their licence obligations.

Written Question
Mobile Phones
Thursday 18th January 2018

Asked by: John Lamont (Conservative - Berwickshire, Roxburgh and Selkirk)

Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, how the agreement with mobile phone providers to provide a mobile phone signal to 90 per cent of the UK’s landmass by the end of 2017 will be enforced.

Answered by Margot James

The regulator Ofcom is responsible for enforcing spectrum licence obligations and it is assessing whether mobile network operators have met their licence obligations that were agreed in 2014. Ofcom plans to publish its assessment in early 2018. In 2017 the Government granted Ofcom new powers to issue fines to mobile operators in the event that they do not meet their licence obligations.

Written Question
5G
Thursday 18th January 2018

Asked by: John Lamont (Conservative - Berwickshire, Roxburgh and Selkirk)

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 the potential merits of strengthening future license conditions for the 5G spectrum auction in order to improve telephone and data signal in remote parts of the UK.

Answered by Margot James

The regulator Ofcom is responsible for enforcing spectrum licence obligations and it is assessing whether mobile network operators have met their licence obligations that were agreed in 2014. Ofcom plans to publish its assessment in early 2018. In 2017 the Government granted Ofcom new powers to issue fines to mobile operators in the event that they do not meet their licence obligations.

Written Question
Broadband: Rural Areas
Thursday 18th January 2018

Asked by: John Lamont (Conservative - Berwickshire, Roxburgh and Selkirk)

Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what proportion of rural premises in (a) Scotland, (b) Wales and (c) England have access to superfast broadband.

Answered by Margot James

Ofcom's 2017 Connected Nations report includes the following percentages in figure 5, measuring superfast availability at 30Mbit/s in May 2017, showing percentage point changes from a year earlier (pp).

Urban coverage, % premises

Rural coverage, % premises

UK

95% (↑2pp)

66% (↑7pp)

England

95% (↑1pp)

69% (↑6pp)

Northern Ireland

97% (↑1pp)

57% (↑5pp)

Scotland

94% (↑4pp)

56% (↑10pp)

Wales

96% (↑3pp)

66% (↑10pp)

Source: Ofcom analysis of operator data

Speech in Westminster Hall - Tue 28 Nov 2017
Dr Elsie Inglis and Women’s Contribution to World War One

"It is a pleasure to serve under your chairmanship, Mr Davies. I congratulate and thank the hon. Member for Edinburgh South (Ian Murray) for securing this debate on an important part of our world war one history that at times is unfortunately overlooked. The contribution made by women in the …..."
John Lamont - View Speech

View all John Lamont (Con - Berwickshire, Roxburgh and Selkirk) contributions to the debate on: Dr Elsie Inglis and Women’s Contribution to World War One
Speech in Westminster Hall - Tue 28 Nov 2017
Dr Elsie Inglis and Women’s Contribution to World War One

"May I correct the hon. Gentleman’s pronunciation of “Marygold”? I wish to ensure that the official record is accurate...."
John Lamont - View Speech

View all John Lamont (Con - Berwickshire, Roxburgh and Selkirk) contributions to the debate on: Dr Elsie Inglis and Women’s Contribution to World War One
Speech in Westminster Hall - Wed 22 Nov 2017
Rural Communities in Scotland: Broadband

"I beg to move,

That this House has considered the roll-out of broadband to rural communities in Scotland.

It is a pleasure to serve under your chairmanship, Mr Howarth. One of the biggest issues raised with me as Member of Parliament for Berwickshire, Roxburgh and Selkirk is the poor or …..."
John Lamont - View Speech

View all John Lamont (Con - Berwickshire, Roxburgh and Selkirk) contributions to the debate on: Rural Communities in Scotland: Broadband
Speech in Westminster Hall - Wed 22 Nov 2017
Rural Communities in Scotland: Broadband

"I am grateful to the hon. Lady for making that point. Of course, we are playing catch-up in Scotland, because of the dither and delay from the SNP Government and Digital Scotland. I will come to the Ofcom report shortly...."
John Lamont - View Speech

View all John Lamont (Con - Berwickshire, Roxburgh and Selkirk) contributions to the debate on: Rural Communities in Scotland: Broadband
Speech in Westminster Hall - Wed 22 Nov 2017
Rural Communities in Scotland: Broadband

"My hon. Friend makes a very valid point. Of course, the SNP Government have let down not just urban Scotland, but rural Scotland. Both parts of Scotland—urban and rural communities—have been let down by the Scottish Government’s failures to meet their obligations to deliver superfast broadband...."
John Lamont - View Speech

View all John Lamont (Con - Berwickshire, Roxburgh and Selkirk) contributions to the debate on: Rural Communities in Scotland: Broadband