§ Baroness Byfordasked Her Majesty's Government:
Further to the Written Answer by Mr Stephen Timms MP on 7 July (HC Deb, 568W), how much of the £1 billion to be spent on public sector connectivity will be spent on rural access to broadband; and whether it will be "matched" to local authority spending on schools. [HL4859]
§ Lord Sainsbury of TurvilleThe broadband aggregation project will set up nine regional aggregation bodies (RABs), which will be publicly owned companies and which will aggregate and procure public sector demand for broadband. Each RAB will work closely with stakeholders in their region to develop an appropriate regional strategy that will offer best value for money and the widest availability to surrounding communities. Until each RAB has developed its own strategy it is not possible to estimate how much of the £1 billion will be spent in rural areas.
The RABs will work closely with the DfES, regional broadband consortia and local education authorities (LEAs). The £1 billion includes the £350 million announced by the Secretary of State for Education for educational broadband for 2003–06, on top of the £150 million for 2001–03. This £350 million includes direct funding from DfES and matched funding from local authorities.
§ Baroness Byfordasked Her Majesty's Government:
Further to the Written Answer by Mr Stephen Timms MP on 7 July (HC Deb 568W), whether the government intend to promulgate a particular system of broadband delivery in rural areas; if so, which one; and how they will deal with those areas which have already invested in a different system. [HL4860]
§ Lord Sainsbury of TurvilleThe Government do not intend to promulgate a particular system of broadband delivery. Our approach is to leave decisions on broadband delivery to those best placed to make them, taking account of all the relevant considerations.