Asked by: Paul Flynn (Labour - Newport West)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what policies contained in the 2010 Coalition Agreement and falling under his Department's responsibilities have not yet been implemented; and what the reasons are for each such policy's non-implementation.
Answered by Helen Grant - Shadow Solicitor General
I refer the Hon Gentlemen to Departmental Business Plans which record all commitments, timescales for completion and progress against them. The Business Plans are fully transparent, and the DCMS Business Plan is available at http://transparency.number10.gov.uk/business-plan/17
Asked by: Paul Flynn (Labour - Newport West)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what recent assessment he has made of the social risks associated with fixed odds betting terminals; and if he will bring forward proposals to reduce the maximum stake on such terminals.
Answered by Helen Grant - Shadow Solicitor General
In December 2014 the Responsible Gambling Trust (RGT) published a package of research which looked at potential markers of harm in gaming machine play (including FOBTs). I have encouraged the bookmaking industry to take on board and respond to the findings of this research.
New Regulations come into force on 6 April 2015 which will end unsupervised high stake gambling on FOBTs.
Asked by: Paul Flynn (Labour - Newport West)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what discussions he has had with Ofcom on simplification and clarification of tariffs charged by private providers for directory inquiries; and what information his Department holds on whether mobile telephone inquirers have been overcharged by directory inquiry providers.
Answered by Lord Vaizey of Didcot
I meet regularly with Ofcom to discuss a variety of issues.
Ofcom is concerned about unclear telephone charges and is introducing rules which make the cost of calling 118 numbers clearer for telephone users.
Under changes coming into effect this summer, both telecoms and 118 service providers will have to be clear on what they each charge for 118 calls. The costs of calls will be split out into an access charge and a service charge so consumers can compare costs for calling different 118 services – and see where their money is going.
Asked by: Paul Flynn (Labour - Newport West)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment he has made of progress on installation of satellite-accessed broadband in rural areas.
Answered by Lord Vaizey of Didcot
The DCMS is currently undertaking two market test projects which are trialling satellite broadband as part of its programme to explore options for delivery of superfast broadband to premises in areas of the UK which are not within the 95% of premises covered by the main superfast broadband programme.
Asked by: Paul Flynn (Labour - Newport West)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what steps he has taken to improve broadband capacity in rural areas along the English-Welsh borders.
Answered by Lord Vaizey of Didcot
BDUK has allocated £56.93m under Phase 1 and up to £12.11m under Phase 2 of the Superfast Broadband programme, alongside investment from the European Regional Development Fund, Welsh Government and BT, to the Superfast Cymru project taking coverage to at least 96% of Welsh premises by the end of 2017. Work is now under way in all 22 Local Authority areas in Wales, including those along the border area.
A total of £31.5m has been allocated to the local projects that border Wales (Herefordshire and Gloucestershire, Cheshire and Shropshire) under Phase 1 of the programme, taking coverage in these areas to a further 233,185 premises. Up to £25.1 million has been allocated to these projects under Phase 2. Full details on individual project allocations are available on the following link: https://www.google.com/maps/d/viewer?mid=zwLLqmDnfnjA.khRmsBv2kR70