Oral Answers to Questions Debate

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Department: HM Treasury

Oral Answers to Questions

Sheryll Murray Excerpts
Thursday 3rd July 2014

(9 years, 10 months ago)

Commons Chamber
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Sajid Javid Portrait Sajid Javid
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The hon. Gentleman is right to raise that important point about the regional distribution of the funds. It is something we discuss with the lottery, and I shall be taking it up with it further.

Sheryll Murray Portrait Sheryll Murray (South East Cornwall) (Con)
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2. What steps he is taking to ensure that superfast broadband is available in remote areas of the UK.

Sajid Javid Portrait The Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport (Sajid Javid)
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The Government’s broadband programme will provide superfast broadband to 95% of UK premises by 2017. In February 2014 we announced nearly £3 million in further grant funding to support superfast coverage in Cornwall.

Sheryll Murray Portrait Sheryll Murray
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One of my constituents who runs a small business in a not-spot area purchased satellite broadband after being told that they would not get a fibre-optic connection. Can they now bid for some money if Cornwall council is successful to enable other connections, and will it cost people more for any other type of connection?

Sajid Javid Portrait Sajid Javid
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Superfast Cornwall has a satellite broadband offer for premises that currently have slow-speed broadband and are not likely to gain a fibre-optic connection. The grant of almost £3 million that the Government gave in February in phase 2 will help increase coverage. My hon. Friend’s constituent can make an application to Superfast Cornwall, and that will be a decision for it to make. We are making progress on the issue, but I agree that there is much more to do.