LORDS TO QUIZ INTERNET PROVIDERS ON POOR CONNECTIVITY IN RURAL AREAS

Lords to quiz internet providers on poor connectivity in rural areas

1.1 million rural premises still do not have access to decent broadband and 82 percent cannot receive a 4G signal. On Tuesday the 20th of November, the House of Lords Select Committee on the Rural Economy will ask representatives from Government and commercial groups delivering digital infrastructure why they have not prioritised digital connectivity in rural areas.

The Committee will also ask what measures are being taken to improve connectivity in rural areas and their views on how successful the Superfast Broadband Programme has been.

In the second session the Committee will question Neil Parish MP, Chair, House of Commons EFRA Committee on how well Government policy is in supporting rural affairs and whether the Agriculture Bill will deliver for people in rural areas.

The evidence session will begin at 9:45 in Committee room 1 of the House of Lords, giving evidence will be:

James Heath, Director for Digital Infrastructure, UK Government
Henry Shennan, Deputy Director, Broadband and Telecoms Market, BDUK
Kim Mears, Managing Director for Strategic Infrastructure Development, OpenReach
Professor Claire Wallace, Chair in Sociology, University of Aberdeen

Other questions the Committee are likely to ask include:

What kind of take-up has there been for community-led broadband schemes?
How will the USO work in practice and how will it be delivered?
What should be done to encourage more take-up of digital technologies among businesses operating in rural areas?
How much are small-scale housing developers (developments of less than 30 units) charged to deliver fibre-to-the-premises?
The second session with Neil Parish MP will begin at 10:45 and will cover topics including:

How prepared do you think Defra is to deliver Brexit for rural areas?
The EFRA Committee began an inquiry into rural tourism which was curtailed by last year’s General Election. What more should the Government be doing to support rural tourism?
How do you rate the Government’s efforts to ensure rural areas are not left behind with regard to mobile and digital infrastructure?
Defra has been criticised in the past for failing to prioritise its rural affairs brief. Is this a fair criticism?