§ Baroness Miller of Chilthorne Domerasked Her Majesty's Government:
What action they are taking to ensure that all areas of Britain, including remote rural areas, have access to infrastructure that allows them the same speed of internet communication as cabled urban areas. [HL882]
§ The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department of Trade and Industry (Lord Sainsbury of Turville)The Government are working to ensure that broadband services are available in all parts of the country. To this end we are developing a strategy together with all interested parties. The £30 million fund for regional development agencies and the devolved administrations is focused on extending broadband networks to those who are not offered access by the market, including in rural areas. The Countryside Agency also included broadband access and demand in its "healthchecks" on 100 market towns, while the devolved administrations are carrying forward their own work on broadband in rural areas with our support and assistance.
In addition, we are examining the scope for aggregating public sector demand in order to speed up the roll-out of broadband services to individuals and businesses in rural and other areas that service providers currently see as uncommercial.