Contributions
920 recent contributions in Hansard
HANSARDInternet Access: Low-income FamiliesWe want fantastic connectivity in every part of the UK. We have worked to ensure that a range of low-cost social tariffs are available in 99% of the UK for as little as £10 a…15 Mar 2023HANSARDInternet Access: Low-income FamiliesI thank my hon. Friend for raising his concerns about British Gas. As the digital infrastructure Minister, I want to ensure that everyone has great access to the internet, but he…15 Mar 2023HANSARDInternet Access: Low-income FamiliesI confess that cryptocurrency is not in my portfolio, but I am happy to refer the hon. Lady to a Minister who may be able to answer that.15 Mar 2023HANSARDTopical QuestionsI am pleased to say that premises in Meon Valley are included in our live gigabit procurement for Hampshire, and we expect to award the contract in June this year. We have paused…15 Mar 2023HANSARDTopical QuestionsFibre in the water has been a fantastic and innovative project. We expect to complete the research in May, and I hope to be able to update my hon. Friend, who has been doing…15 Mar 2023HANSARDInstallation of Telecommunications InfrastructureI thank the right hon. Member for Kingston upon Hull North (Dame Diana Johnson) for securing this important debate, and for raising her residents’ concerns so articulately and…15 Mar 2023HANSARDInstallation of Telecommunications InfrastructureThe hon. Gentleman makes a good point. There are ways operators can do that. Some operators are much more mindful of that and the need for community consent. Others are not acting…15 Mar 2023HANSARDInstallation of Telecommunications InfrastructureMy hon. Friend makes a good point.15 Mar 2023HANSARDInstallation of Telecommunications InfrastructureThe hon. Gentleman is right to acknowledge just how much progress has been made in Northern Ireland, where there is some of the best connectivity in the United Kingdom. I am proud…15 Mar 2023HANSARDInstallation of Telecommunications InfrastructureI am not sure that is the case. We have consulted very closely, trying to make deployment easier, faster and more straightforward. I have concerns that adding an additional layer…15 Mar 2023HANSARD BBC: Government Role in ImpartialityI thank my hon. Friend for raising that point. I was not aware of that case, but some of these questions will, we hope, be resolved by the social media review that the BBC is…14 Mar 2023HANSARD BBC: Government Role in ImpartialityIt is incredibly important that the BBC is left to conduct its social media review in a way that allows it to bring clarity, particularly on this question of freelancers versus…14 Mar 2023HANSARD BBC: Government Role in ImpartialityWithout knowing the full details of the statement —[Interruption.] I am afraid that I do not know the statement to which the hon. Gentleman refers. The only commentary I have seen…14 Mar 2023HANSARD BBC: Government Role in ImpartialityI simply repeat that, as the hon. Lady will be aware, previous Governments have appointed to senior positions in the BBC people who have declared political activity. That does not…14 Mar 2023HANSARD BBC: Government Role in ImpartialityI agree that the BBC should be given space to carry out the review and to set out clear guidelines. The Serota review made it crystal clear that seniority, profile or role do not…14 Mar 2023HANSARD BBC: Government Role in ImpartialityI think I thank the hon. Gentleman for his question, but I am not entirely sure what his point was. I have no response beyond saying that there was no attempt to interfere…14 Mar 2023HANSARD BBC: Government Role in ImpartialityI thank my hon. Friend for his commentary, especially given his experience as a former BBC employee. His contributions in this regard are always valuable. He is absolutely right:…14 Mar 2023HANSARD BBC: Government Role in ImpartialityI thank the hon. Gentleman for sharing his experience as a former BBC employee. He is absolutely right that in a world of fake news, trust is the BBC’s currency, and one that we…14 Mar 2023HANSARD BBC: Government Role in ImpartialityMy hon. Friend raises questions about the future of the licence fee. We will examine these questions in advance of the next charter, in 2027. As I mentioned, it is not just a…14 Mar 2023HANSARD BBC: Government Role in ImpartialityThe notion that the Government have instructed the BBC to reduce its news content is pretty wide of the mark. How the BBC organises its services is a matter for the BBC. What we…14 Mar 2023