HC Deb 08 May 2003 vol 404 cc799-800W
Mr. Paterson

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what steps she is taking to ensure broadband is made available to all those living in Shropshire. [111660]

UK imports of goods from sub-Saharan Africa1 (£ million)
SITC Division Commodity group2 2000 Year to February 2003 Change Perecentage change
02 Dairy products and birds' eggs 1.3 5.3 4.0 318.8
03 Fish, (not marine mammals), crustaceans, molluscs, and aquatic invertebrates and preparations thereof 93.9 130.9 37.0 39.4
04 Cereals and cereal preparations 0.3 0.7 0.4 114.7
05 Vegetables and fruit 301.6 375.9 74.3 24.7
06 Sugar, sugar preparations and honey 167.3 219.2 51.8 31.0
07 Coffee, tea, cocoa, spices and manufactures thereof 241.7 304.2 62.5 25.9
08 Feeding stuff for animals not including unmilled cereals 2.0 2.6 0.5 24.9
09 Miscellaneous edible products and preparations 2.7 3.7 0.9 34.2
11 Beverages 81.7 123.2 41.6 50.9
12 Tobacco and tobacco manufacturers 50.8 61.3 10.5 20.7
21 Hides, skins and furskins, raw 7.9 9.9 1.9 24.6
22 Oil seeds and oleaginous fruit 5.2 7.6 2.4 46.3
27 Crude fertilisers other than those of division 56 and crude minerals (excluding coal, petroleum and precious stones) 41.8 48.8 7.0 16.7
29 Crude animal and vegetable materials 28.3 40.0 11.7 41.4

Mr. Timms

We expect to spend 1 billion over three years to 2006 to help bring broadband to primary and secondary schools, GPs, primary care Trusts and Strategic Health Authorities. We are also developing strategies to aggregate public sector demand to reinforce the case for wider community access to broadband.

I was pleased to see reports that Shropshire has provided broadband connection to all its 22 Libraries in February this year with support from the People Network Initiative, supported by the New Opportunities Fund.

Through the £30 million Broadband Fund, my Department also supports satellite trials through the Remote Area Broadband Inclusion Trial (RABBIT). Shropshire receives support through this Trial, directed at giving rural SMEs experience of broadband.