Asked by: Matthew Offord (Conservative - Hendon)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what steps her Department is taking to help improve digital inclusion for people who are unable to access the internet.
Answered by Julia Lopez - Shadow Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology
The Government recognises that access to the internet is increasingly essential for full participation in society and has taken steps to ensure households across the UK are able to access fast, reliable mobile and broadband services.
The Government has worked closely with the telecoms industry to ensure superfast broadband connections extend to over 97% of the UK. Similarly, 4G mobile coverage is available to 99% of the population from at least one network provider. The Government is also investing £5 billion through our flagship Project Gigabit programme to bring gigabit broadband to reach hard-to-reach communities.
We recognise that infrastructure is only part of the story. To support those for whom cost may be a barrier, the Government has worked closely with the telecoms industry to ensure market provision of broadband and mobile social tariffs. These low-cost, commercial products are available from 28 different providers, across 99% of the UK and start at just £10 per month.
Asked by: Matthew Offord (Conservative - Hendon)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, whether her Department is taking steps to help promote research links with Gulf States.
Answered by Andrew Griffith - Shadow Secretary of State for Business and Trade
As outlined in the Science and Technology Framework, global collaboration is vital in supporting UK science and technology capabilities and my department is working to strengthen strategic partnerships with governments, industry and academia across the globe. Partnerships will differ in scope and depth but given the strong economic growth and expanding populations of the Gulf States they represent an outsize opportunity to benefit the UK and strengthen our science and technology systems.
Consistent with this, last month, I signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) on Research and Innovation (R&I) with Saudi Arabia – my first in the region - to help position the UK as a research and innovation partner of choice and create new opportunities for UK researchers and businesses.
Asked by: Matthew Offord (Conservative - Hendon)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what targets her Department has set to help achieve the Government's commitments on net zero.
Answered by Andrew Griffith - Shadow Secretary of State for Business and Trade
The Government set out how we would meet our commitments in the Net Zero Strategy in 2021 which included a detailed breakdown of actions required across all sectors in the economy. This was updated in 2023 through the publication of 'Powering Up Britain'. The UK has halved its emissions, ahead of every other major economy, and we have grown our economy by over 70% since 1990. The UK over-achieved against the first and second carbon budgets, and the latest projections show that we are on track to meet the third. We have one of the most ambitious decarbonisation targets in the world, and we have set more stretching targets for 2030 than most countries. We plan to cut emissions by 68% by 2030, which is more than the EU, Japan or the United States.
Asked by: Matthew Offord (Conservative - Hendon)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what steps her Department is taking to provide gigabit-capable broadband in hard-to-reach communities in Hendon constituency.
Answered by Julia Lopez - Shadow Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology
More than 99% of premises in Hendon have access to Superfast broadband speeds (>=30 Mbps) and over 69% can access gigabit-capable broadband. This is up from just 12% in March 2019, and is expected to increase as we support suppliers to expand their networks.
We introduced measures in the Product Security and Telecommunications Infrastructure Act 2022 to specifically assist telecoms operators providing broadband services, such as an increased ability to upgrade and share the existing duct and pole network and a procedure to deal with non-responsive landowners. This is in addition to the Telecommunications Infrastructure (Leasehold Property) Act 2021, which makes it easier for broadband operators to install in multiple dwelling units where the landlord is repeatedly unresponsive to requests for access.
We have also taken steps to ensure that new homes are built with fast, reliable broadband. On 26 December 2022, new regulations came into force making it mandatory for new homes in England to be future-proofed with gigabit-ready physical infrastructure and - where they can be provided within a cost cap - gigabit-capable connections. This will help ensure that many more new households each year get the connectivity they want and need without costly and disruptive installation work after the home is built.
For premises that are not included in suppliers' commercial plans, we are delivering Project Gigabit, which is focused on bringing gigabit-capable broadband to hard-to-reach areas across the UK. There are high levels of commercial coverage within the borough of Barnet, and we are reviewing this commercial coverage prior to identifying what support could be provided through Project Gigabit.
Attracting private investment and incentivising competition in the fixed telecoms market is integral to the government’s strategy to deliver nationwide coverage of gigabit-capable broadband. Through the 2018 Future Telecoms Infrastructure Review (FTIR) and the 2019 Statement of Strategic Priorities (SSP), we brought forward substantive proposals to make it easier for new firms to enter the market and compete with the incumbent provider, such as granting competitors access to Openreach’s national network of ducts and poles. The SSP gave Ofcom a strategic priority to incentivise private investment and market competition by providing long-term regulatory stability. This approach has been successful – the UK fixed telecoms market now has over 80 companies investing c.£35 billion in its networks.
Asked by: Matthew Offord (Conservative - Hendon)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what steps her Department is taking to help provide fast and reliable broadband throughout Hendon constituency.
Answered by Julia Lopez - Shadow Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology
More than 99% of premises in Hendon have access to Superfast broadband speeds (>=30 Mbps) and over 69% can access gigabit-capable broadband. This is up from just 12% in March 2019, and is expected to increase as we support suppliers to expand their networks.
We introduced measures in the Product Security and Telecommunications Infrastructure Act 2022 to specifically assist telecoms operators providing broadband services, such as an increased ability to upgrade and share the existing duct and pole network and a procedure to deal with non-responsive landowners. This is in addition to the Telecommunications Infrastructure (Leasehold Property) Act 2021, which makes it easier for broadband operators to install in multiple dwelling units where the landlord is repeatedly unresponsive to requests for access.
We have also taken steps to ensure that new homes are built with fast, reliable broadband. On 26 December 2022, new regulations came into force making it mandatory for new homes in England to be future-proofed with gigabit-ready physical infrastructure and - where they can be provided within a cost cap - gigabit-capable connections. This will help ensure that many more new households each year get the connectivity they want and need without costly and disruptive installation work after the home is built.
For premises that are not included in suppliers' commercial plans, we are delivering Project Gigabit, which is focused on bringing gigabit-capable broadband to hard-to-reach areas across the UK. There are high levels of commercial coverage within the borough of Barnet, and we are reviewing this commercial coverage prior to identifying what support could be provided through Project Gigabit.
Attracting private investment and incentivising competition in the fixed telecoms market is integral to the government’s strategy to deliver nationwide coverage of gigabit-capable broadband. Through the 2018 Future Telecoms Infrastructure Review (FTIR) and the 2019 Statement of Strategic Priorities (SSP), we brought forward substantive proposals to make it easier for new firms to enter the market and compete with the incumbent provider, such as granting competitors access to Openreach’s national network of ducts and poles. The SSP gave Ofcom a strategic priority to incentivise private investment and market competition by providing long-term regulatory stability. This approach has been successful – the UK fixed telecoms market now has over 80 companies investing c.£35 billion in its networks.
Asked by: Matthew Offord (Conservative - Hendon)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what steps her Department is taking to attract private investment for gigabit broadband.
Answered by Julia Lopez - Shadow Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology
More than 99% of premises in Hendon have access to Superfast broadband speeds (>=30 Mbps) and over 69% can access gigabit-capable broadband. This is up from just 12% in March 2019, and is expected to increase as we support suppliers to expand their networks.
We introduced measures in the Product Security and Telecommunications Infrastructure Act 2022 to specifically assist telecoms operators providing broadband services, such as an increased ability to upgrade and share the existing duct and pole network and a procedure to deal with non-responsive landowners. This is in addition to the Telecommunications Infrastructure (Leasehold Property) Act 2021, which makes it easier for broadband operators to install in multiple dwelling units where the landlord is repeatedly unresponsive to requests for access.
We have also taken steps to ensure that new homes are built with fast, reliable broadband. On 26 December 2022, new regulations came into force making it mandatory for new homes in England to be future-proofed with gigabit-ready physical infrastructure and - where they can be provided within a cost cap - gigabit-capable connections. This will help ensure that many more new households each year get the connectivity they want and need without costly and disruptive installation work after the home is built.
For premises that are not included in suppliers' commercial plans, we are delivering Project Gigabit, which is focused on bringing gigabit-capable broadband to hard-to-reach areas across the UK. There are high levels of commercial coverage within the borough of Barnet, and we are reviewing this commercial coverage prior to identifying what support could be provided through Project Gigabit.
Attracting private investment and incentivising competition in the fixed telecoms market is integral to the government’s strategy to deliver nationwide coverage of gigabit-capable broadband. Through the 2018 Future Telecoms Infrastructure Review (FTIR) and the 2019 Statement of Strategic Priorities (SSP), we brought forward substantive proposals to make it easier for new firms to enter the market and compete with the incumbent provider, such as granting competitors access to Openreach’s national network of ducts and poles. The SSP gave Ofcom a strategic priority to incentivise private investment and market competition by providing long-term regulatory stability. This approach has been successful – the UK fixed telecoms market now has over 80 companies investing c.£35 billion in its networks.