§ Mr. MartlewTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what plans she has to provide extra funds to allow access to broadband for rural areas of(a) England and (b) Cumbria. [137123]
§ Mr. TimmsThe Government intends spending £1 billion on broadband connectivity for the public sector between 2003–2006. The Broadband Aggregation Project will set up nine Regional Aggregation Bodies (RABs), 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.
The North West Regional Development Agency Corporate Plan has allocated £106 million between 2003–06 to promote a comprehensive broadband infrastructure throughout the region and maximise its usage. A project to procure broadband services for Cumbrian residents and businesses is currently awaiting approval by the Capital Projects Review Group and HM Treasury.