§ Mr. Gordon PrenticeTo ask the President of the Board of Trade what measures he has taken to promote the development of information super-highways in the United Kingdom.
§ Mr. McLoughlinA recent study, commissioned by this Department, concluded that the United Kingdom is one of the most advanced countries worldwide on a range of key telecommunications infrastructure indicators, including use of optical fibre at trunk and local level, digitalisation of exchanges and availability of advanced services such as ISDN. This position has been achieved through our policies of privatisation, liberalisation and competition. A large number of companies are now competing to provide high-capacity telecommunication services, including BT, Mercury, Energis, COLT, MFS and the cable TV operators. I hope to license more shortly.