Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Lucy Frazer and Matt Hancock

Thursday 16th November 2017 Commons Chamber

[Lucy Frazer (South East Cambridgeshire) (Con)]

5. What progress her Department has made on digital infrastructure investment for the next generation of mobile and broadband communications.

[The Minister for Digital (Matt Hancock)]

As well as the current generation of technologies, we have provided more than £1 billion of funding to support the next generation of digital infrastructure, including investment in full-fibre networks and 5G testbeds, so that we are ready to ensure that we are ahead of the pack as 5G is developed.

[Lucy Frazer]

Given the number of companies in and around Cambridge that specialise in technological innovation, the growth of agritech in east Cambridgeshire and the rural nature of Cambridgeshire as a whole, does the Minister think that South East Cambridgeshire would be an excellent place to hold some of the 5G trials?

[Matt Hancock]

My hon. and learned Friend has been assiduous in putting the case for Cambridgeshire, because of the combination of amazing high-tech growth in Cambridge itself and its rural hinterland, as an area where we can really test these technologies. I look forward to working with her and with Connecting Cambridgeshire to see whether we can make that happen.