Broadband
(Witney) (Con)
1. What steps his Department is taking to help support the roll-out
of (a) full-fibre and (b) gigabit-capable broadband to homes and
businesses throughout the UK by 2025. [900773]
(South West
Hertfordshire) (Con)
3. What steps his Department is taking to help support the
roll-out of (a) full-fibre and (b) gigabit-capable broadband to
homes and businesses throughout the UK by 2025. [900776]
(Banff and Buchan) (Con)
5. What steps his Department is taking to help support the
roll-out of (a) full-fibre and (b) gigabit-capable broadband to
homes and businesses throughout the UK by 2025. [900778]
(Derbyshire Dales)
(Con)
6. What steps his Department is taking to help support the
roll-out of (a) full-fibre and (b) gigabit-capable broadband to
homes and businesses throughout the UK by 2025. [900779]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Digital, Culture,
Media and Sport ()
Gigabit broadband roll-out is accelerating, and as a result of
the steps that the Government are taking, full-fibre coverage has
doubled in the past year. We have introduced legislation to make
it easier for operators to deploy broadband in blocks of flats
and will legislate to mandate gigabit connectivity in new builds,
while providing £5 billion of funding to support the roll-out in
hard-to-reach areas.
I was delighted when this one nation Government announced a £5
billion package to roll out broadband to the hardest-to-reach
areas, but can the Minister tell us when we will see that money
being put into action, so that places such as west Oxfordshire
can benefit?
As my hon. Friend knows, through our rural gigabit connectivity
programme we are already putting £200 million into some of the
hardest-to-reach places, not least in west Oxfordshire. The £5
billion of funding, which we will talk about in much greater
detail in the Budget and beyond, will see us work with local
authorities, particularly in areas such as west Oxfordshire, to
get this broadband rolled out there as quickly as possible.
Does my hon. Friend agree that no business should be held back
because of poor broadband infrastructure? Can he confirm that
this one nation Conservative Government are making record
investment in levelling up digital infrastructure?
I can. The value of superfast and gigabit broadband to businesses
is enormous, and it will allow the businesses of the future to
power this country’s economy. It is the fact that those benefits
can be shared so widely that makes the £5 billion Government
investment so valuable.
The percentage of residents without access to superfast broadband
in Banff and Buchan has decreased from 18% to 16% in the last two
years, but that is still far too many and nowhere near fast
enough in both senses. In 2020, decent broadband is a necessity
for everyone in my constituency, not a luxury. Can the Minister
assure me and my constituents that the Government will do all
they can, including keeping up pressure on the Scottish
Government, to accelerate the roll-out of superfast broadband to
my constituents?
Like my hon. Friend, I welcome the progress that has been made in
his constituency, but there is more to do. I recently spoke with
my Scottish counterpart, , and the sense that we can
work together to deliver this vital programme means that perhaps
in Scotland we can have more broadband and less party politics.
Miss Dines
Does my hon. Friend agree that remote communities in the
Derbyshire Dales, such as Chelmorton, Stanton in Peak, Birchover,
Taddington and Cressbrook, like other parts of the country, need
to be levelled up and have a chance of getting decent broadband,
because they have been forgotten?
It is precisely because of the needs of remote areas such as
those in her constituency that we are investing £5 billion in
gigabit-capable broadband. I know that, with her speaking up on
behalf of her constituents, they will by no means be left behind.
(Newcastle upon Tyne Central)
(Lab)
If only complacency built networks, we would have the fastest
broadband in the world, but it does not, and neither does it keep
our network secure. In June, the National Cyber Security Centre
said that we had to act to mitigate the risk of high-risk vendors
such as Huawei in our 5G and full-fibre networks. Since then, we
have had more disturbing reports from our Five Eyes allies Canada
and the US, while former Cabinet Ministers fall over themselves
to criticise the Government, but we have had no legislation and
not even a plan for legislation. Where is the plan to keep our
networks safe?
As the hon. Lady knows, the NCSC has published comprehensive
guidance, which the networks are paying close attention to. The
networks work closely with our agencies. We will bring forward
legislation on this as quickly as we can, because national
security will always be at the top of our priority list. That is
why we have taken the decision we have taken.
(Kilmarnock and Loudoun)
(SNP)
Scotland is approximately two thirds the size of England, but we
have more challenging topography and islands to serve, yet
Scotland will get a fifth of England’s Building Digital UK fund,
and for the R100 programme, the UK Government are only committing
£20 million towards the £600 million programme. Does the Minister
agree with the recommendation of the Environment, Food and Rural
Affairs Committee that future allocations to Scotland should be
based on need, taking into account all those factors?
As I said a minute ago, I recently had a productive conversation
with my Scottish counterpart on how the Scottish and UK
Governments can work together to get the broadband into Scotland
that it so clearly needs.
(Cardiff West) (Lab)
It is a nice view from up here, Mr Speaker.
The Minister’s Duracell Bunny-like enthusiasm is all very well,
and I hope it stands him in good stead during the clear-out
today, but it is not enough. Does the Government’s ambition not
fall pathetically short of what is really required?
The £5 billion will go an awfully long way and build on the huge
progress being made already, but the hon. Gentleman is right:
this is not simply about money. That is why we are making
legislative changes as well. The Prime Minister has been very
clear on his ambition. The recent roundtable at No. 10 with all
the broadband providers shows that this is far more than words;
it is a real commitment in legislative and financial terms, and
it will get Britain the broadband it deserves.
(Manchester, Withington)
(Lab)
The Prime Minister promised full fibre broadband roll-out by
2025, but pretty quickly that was watered down to “as soon as
possible”. What proportion of houses will have full fibre
broadband by 2025?
The hon. Member is right: we have said we will make
gigabit-capable networks available as soon as possible. The Prime
Minister has talked very clearly about that 2025 target and we
will legislate to make sure that all new builds have
gigabit-capable broadband, and of course we will focus our
greatest attention on the hardest-to-reach areas where broadband
is currently the worst in the country.
Problem Gambling
(Harrogate and Knaresborough)
(Con)
2. What steps his Department is taking to help tackle problem
gambling. [900774]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Digital, Culture,
Media and Sport ()
We know that about 1% of the population are problem gamblers, and
I want to make sure this group is helped, not harmed. That is why
I have asked the Gambling Commission to use its powers to make
sure gamblers are not taken advantage of—for instance, through
exploitative VIP schemes—and why we have recently banned gambling
with credit cards and will be reviewing the Gambling Act 2005 to
make sure it is fit for the modern age.
Too many people have had their lives turned upside down by
gambling addiction, so I commend the Minister for her decision to
ban people from gambling using credit cards—essentially gambling
with money they do not have—but what more will the Government do
to tackle the scourge of problem gambling? We have probably all
seen constituents in surgeries who have had their lives ruined by
this terrible problem.
I thank my hon. Friend for his support for the ban on gambling
with credit cards, which was an important decision, but our work
to tackle problem gambling continues. The intention of the
Gambling Act review is to make sure we have the right legislation
to protect people from harm, but in the meantime, for those
struggling with problem gambling, the Department of Health and
Social Care is opening 14 new specialist NHS clinics, and we are
working on a cross-Government addiction strategy, which will
include gambling.
(Swansea East) (Lab)
As chair of the all-party group for gambling related harm, I am
delighted that the Government have adopted so many of our
recommendations over the last 18 months. Our latest one is that
we would very much like to see no gambling advertising in sports
activities. Will the Minister agree that this is a way forward?
I know the hon. Lady is a determined campaigner on this issue. I
am also well aware of concerns about gambling in sports. I have
spoken about this with the Sports Minister, who is here beside
me. There are already controls on advertising in sport—the
whistle-to-whistle ban is a step forward—and as I said, the
Gambling Act review is coming up. We are working on the scope of
that at the moment.
(Chatham and Aylesford)
(Con)
The 2018 gaming machines review, the Digital, Culture, Media and
Sport Committee, the NHS lead on mental health, the Children’s
Commissioner and many Members of the House have expressed
concerns about loot boxes, skins and e-gaming. What discussions
has the Minister had with the Gambling Commission about it
exercising its powers to safeguard young gamers from gambling?
My hon. Friend did a huge amount of work in this area when she
was Minister with this responsibility. I have spoken to the
Gambling Commission about loot boxes and the risks of online
gambling, and we are working at the moment on the scope of the
gambling review.
(Inverclyde) (SNP)
The gambling arena currently resembles the wild west. This is
resulting in increased harm and even suicides. Rather than
tinkering around the edges of the Gambling Act, will the UK
Government rip it up and write a new one fit for the 21st century
and in doing so engage with those people with lived experience?
Absolutely. We intend to engage with people with lived experience
and a wide range of stakeholders as we review the Gambling Act.
We must get a balance here: making sure we get on and update that
legislation, hand in hand with doing it thoroughly and making the
changes so that our gambling legislation is fit for the modern
age.
Grassroots Sport
(Wrexham) (Con)
4. What steps his Department is taking to support grassroots
sport. [900777]
The Minister for Sport, Media and Creative Industries ()
The Government are committed to making sure that everyone is able
to participate in sport and physical activity, regardless of
their background or ability. Sport England is investing over £1
billion of lottery and Exchequer funding in grassroots sports
over the period 2017 to 2021 to support a physically active
nation.
As we all know, rugby is in the blood of the Welsh, but in
Wrexham football is prevalent. Would the Minister like to
accompany me to Wrexham rugby club to see the work it and Welsh
Rugby Union are doing to introduce grassroots rugby to the
children of Wrexham?
Of course, I would love to go to Wrexham. I would love to go to
Wrexham regardless of whether I have still got the job. I can
tell my hon. Friend that it will not be my first visit. If
anybody remembers, Goole Town—the mighty Goole Town—played
Wrexham in the FA cup third round in 1976, and I was there. If
anybody can tell me the score, there will be a prize for them.
I would like to thank my hon. Friend for her interest in this
area. Nowhere has a richer rugby heritage than Wales. I would
like to offer my commiserations on Wales’s disappointing Six
Nations result on Saturday—a valiant clash—but we look forward to
7 March. She will know that sport is a devolved matter, but I
look forward—fingers crossed—to coming to Wrexham very shortly.
Mr Speaker
And they play rugby league there.
(Hornsey and Wood Green)
(Lab)
At the moment, horse racing is the only sport where there is a
levy from gambling. Are the Government considering taking a levy
from gambling in other sports to pay for grassroots sports
participation, given that there has been a 20% drop since 2010 in
grassroots cricket and tennis?
The hon. Member will be aware that there is huge investment going
into grassroots sport, no more so than the £550 million that we
announced for grassroots football. Of course, currently the
lottery does play a big part in grassroots sport, and Exchequer
funding goes in. She asks about the levy. We have no plans
currently to introduce a levy on other sports, but like any
Government, we keep an open mind.
(Buckingham) (Con)
Just a few years ago, Buckingham Ladies hockey team were using
marmite jars on a table top to plan their tactics, and they had
only five players and no goalkeeper, but I am delighted to say
that, on 2 February, they lifted the cup, winning the Jaffa Super
6s final. Will my hon. Friend join me in warmly congratulating
Buckingham Ladies, and let me know what plans the Government have
to support more teams like them to thrive?
First, I congratulate my hon. Friend on taking his seat; it is
great that Buckingham has a Conservative MP once again. I also
congratulate Buckingham Ladies: what a fantastic effort to win
the Jaffa Super 6s. I really encourage my hon. Friend to get the
club to engage with local representatives from Sport England.
These are exactly the sorts of clubs we need to nurture and see
grow.
Online Harmful Material
(Warrington North)
(Lab)
7. What steps his Department is taking to help prevent the spread
of harmful material online. [900780]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Digital, Culture,
Media and Sport ()
The Government are committed to making the UK the safest place in
the world to go online. Yesterday, we published our initial
response to the consultation on the world-leading proposals in
our online harms White Paper. This document set out in additional
detail how we will introduce a duty of care on companies to keep
their users safe online while protecting freedom of expression.
It has been many months since the consultation on the
Government’s online harms White Paper closed, and we have only
just received the initial response. Based on the latest police
recorded crime data, it is estimated that an average of one
online abuse offence against a child was recorded every 16
minutes in England and Wales, which equates to up to 90 online
sexual offences against children every day. Can the Minister tell
us today when we can expect to see legislation brought forward?
This Government are absolutely committed to moving as quickly as
we possibly can on this legislation. That is why we have said we
will be publishing a full response in the spring, and why we will
be legislating this Session. Many of the offences that she talks
about are already covered by other legislation, but the online
harms Bill will bring a coherent and world-leading approach to
some of the most important issues of our age.
(Batley and Spen)
(Lab/Co-op)
Recent figures from Ofcom show that half of all parents are
worried about the online safety of their children, and sadly, as
we have heard, they are right to be worried. The Government’s
online harms consultation closed more than 200 days ago. If NSPCC
estimates are right, there have been more than 20,000 unspeakable
child offences and abuses in the time that it has taken for the
Government to string together an initial response. We are told
that legislation is on its way, but how many more days will
anxious parents have to wait? Who will take responsibility for
children who are harmed while this Government dither?
The NSPCC has come out strongly and welcomed what we announced
yesterday, which is a hugely important step. The hon. Lady is
right to say that there is never an excuse for delay in this sort
of area, but as the NSPCC said to me yesterday, bad regulation is
worse than no regulation. We will take our time to get this
right, but we will not delay for a second longer. That is why we
will legislate in this Session.
Shared Rural Mobile Network
(Thirsk and Malton)
(Con)
8. What steps his Department is taking to help deliver a shared
rural mobile network. [900781]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Digital, Culture,
Media and Sport ()
The Government announced support in principle for the mobile
network operators shared rural network programme, which will see
those operators collectively increase 4G mobile coverage
throughout the UK to 95% by 2025. Although the SRN is not yet a
done deal, the Prime Minister has made improvements to rural
mobile coverage a key part of his “first 100 days” pledge.
In answer to the Sports Minister’s question, I think that Wrexham
won 1-0, and he was one of—off the top of my head—the 4,200
people in the crowd.
The Minister for Sport, Media and Creative Industries () rose—
I’m being intervened on by the Sports Minister!
The £1 billion shared rural network, 50% of which is paid for by
the taxpayer, has the support of just about every rural
parliamentarian in this place, but apparently it is at risk
because BT is increasing its charges to other operators. What can
the Minister do to bring BT back to the table and ensure that the
deal goes through?
I am sorry there is a dispute about the important matter of the
score at Wrexham. To return to my hon. Friend’s substantive
point, I pay tribute to his work on behalf of so many rural MPs
on this important issue, and I will continue to work with the
sector to ensure that the shared rural network is delivered. It
would be inappropriate to comment on the detail of commercial
negotiations, but if mobile network operators are unable to reach
an agreement for any reason—I very much hope they will be able
to—we will continue to explore all possible options, including
rural roaming.
(Strangford) (DUP)
What discussions have been held with the Northern Ireland
Executive to ensure that the roll-out of the rural network
programme—that began in this place, and is now continued by the
Assembly, which is operating again—is on a par with the rest of
the United Kingdom?
The hon. Gentleman is right to say that when we talk about
“levelling up”, it is vital that we bring all parts of the United
Kingdom with us. I have already been to Northern Ireland to talk
about this and other issues, not least the roll-out of the fibre
network in Dundrum, which was impressive. We will continue those
conversations to ensure that every aspect of the United Kingdom
gets the broadband and mobile coverage it deserves.
Youth Projects
(Broxtowe) (Con)
9. What steps he is taking to support youth projects. [900784]
(Wolverhampton South
West) (Con)
10. What steps he is taking to support youth projects. [900786]
The Minister for Sport, Media and Creative Industries ()
The Government are committed to investing in young people’s
futures, and alongside delivering the national citizen service,
we announced a new £500 million youth investment fund from April
this year, which will provide capital and revenue investment in
youth services for the next five years. The £7 million youth
accelerator fund, which was launched last month by the Secretary
of State, will deliver extra sessions and youth clubs, alongside
a range of positive activities in sport and culture for young
people.
Local clubs are a great way to help young people participate in
sport. In my Broxtowe constituency, , a parent volunteer, has
worked tirelessly to renovate the Trent Vale community sports
association clubhouse. Will the Minister join me in paying
tribute to all community volunteers who support grassroots sport?
It gives me great pleasure to congratulate my hon. Friend’s
constituents. There are 6.7 million volunteers in sport
throughout the UK, which is an incredible number. We must
recognise the people who give of their own time by volunteering
specifically to help young people. Sport England is investing £15
million a year through its community asset fund between 2017 and
2021 to support communities just like my hon. Friend’s.
The Way Youth Zone provides young people in Wolverhampton with a
variety of facilities and fantastic activities in the heart of
the city. However, many young people in Wolverhampton are unable
to access the Way Youth Zone, as they live too far away. What
plans does my hon. Friend have to provide investment
opportunities for replicating that successful youth inclusion
model in other areas of Wolverhampton, such as Whitmore Reans?
My hon. Friend is right. Young people in Wolverhampton and
elsewhere should have access to high-quality youth services such
as the Way Youth Zone regardless of where they live—whether that
is in a city, a village or a town, or on the coast. The youth
investment fund to which I referred will enable the development
and expansion of capital resources, including buildings and
mobile facilities for harder-to-reach areas, alongside investment
for positive activities across the country.
(Ealing Central and Acton)
(Lab)
With youth services having been slashed by 73% since 2010 under
savage local government cuts, and given that a peer gets more for
turning up for one day than an under-25 year old has to live on
for a month under universal credit, when they are already
suffering from job and housing insecurity, when will Ministers
admit that, under this Government, youth have never had it so
bad?
It is always a pleasure to listen to the hon. Member’s questions,
which are usually positive and upbeat, as we have seen this
morning. I would just remind her—politely and gently—of what I
said in reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Broxtowe
(). We have announced a
£500 million youth investment fund, which starts this year. We
also have the £7 million accelerator fund. I am not going use her
words about having it so bad; I think she should recognise and
reflect on the fact that the sums being invested in youth
services are huge.
Local Theatres
(Carshalton and Wallington)
(Con)
11. What steps his Department is taking to support local
theatres. [900787]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Digital, Culture,
Media and Sport ()
Many of the stars of stage and screen who recently won awards at
the BAFTAs and the Oscars started out on stage at a local
theatre, but even if a role in a local panto does not lead to a
BAFTA, we know that local theatres bring people together in a way
that no west end theatre can rival. The Government recognise the
importance of local theatres and we are actively supporting them.
Arts Council England invested £650 million in theatres over the
past five years. Theatres all around the country benefit from
theatre tax relief. I recently attended the launch of this year’s
Theatres at Risk list, a successful scheme that has saved 80
theatres since it started.
Carshalton and Wallington was left as nearly the only part of
London that did not have a local theatre, so will the Minister
join me in thanking and congratulating the team at CryerArts, a
local community group which has stepped up and saved the Cryer in
Carshalton to promote local artists?
I am very glad to join my hon. Friend in congratulating the team
at CryerArts. I understand that the theatre reopened in November
and I hope it continues to be a much-loved local venue.
(Bristol West) (Lab)
In order to ensure the future of local theatres, what
conversations is the Minister having with counterparts in the
Department for Education to ensure that all children are given
access to high-quality performing arts education from a young
age?
I am in conversation with the Department for Education about arts
in school. The hon. Lady may be aware that an arts premium is
coming in for secondary schools, which will mean more investment
in arts in our schools.
BBC Licence Fee
(Walsall North) (Con)
12. What his policy is on BBC licence fee penalties and payments.
[900808]
The Minister for Sport, Media and Creative Industries ()
The Government have committed to maintain the licence fee funding
model for the duration of this 11-year charter period. We want to
help vulnerable people who may struggle to pay for their TV
licence, which is why we have announced the simple payment plan,
which will come into effect on 1 April. On penalties for evasion,
we believe it is right to look again at whether the criminal
sanction remains appropriate, given ongoing concerns about
whether it is unfair and disproportionate.
I thank the Minister for that answer. Does he agree that the BBC
should stop focusing on criminalising customers who cannot pay
for the licence and focus instead on its agreement to provide
free TV licences for over-75s?
I agree with my hon. Friend. As we made clear in our manifesto,
we recognise the value of free TV licences for over-75s. They
should be funded by the BBC, and we remain disappointed with the
BBC’s decision to restrict the over-75 licence fee concession
only to those in receipt of pension credit.
(Ochil and South Perthshire)
(SNP)
As the Minister just made clear, he is aware that in only a few
weeks’ time, some of our poorest and most vulnerable pensioners
will be hit with TV licence fee charges. The Government
deliberately foisted what should be a social provision on to the
BBC which, foolishly under Lord Hall, accepted this
responsibility. Does the Minister agree with the Secretary of
State that the Government have no business doing that, and will
he commit today to stepping in to cover the cost for the most
vulnerable in society?
Forgive me for repeating the answer that I gave to my hon. Friend
the Member for Walsall North (), and the answer that I gave
to the urgent question last week, but we are consulting on
whether the decriminalisation of TV licence fee evasion should go
ahead—that is absolutely the case. If the hon. Member for Ochil
and South Perthshire () is saying to me that, in
2020, the future of a broadcaster’s financing is based on
potentially sending someone to prison, we perhaps need to look at
other models of funding.
Topical Questions
(Bridgend) (Con)
T1. If he will make a statement on his departmental
responsibilities. [900788]
The Minister for Sport, Media and Creative Industries ()
I am sure that the whole House will join me in congratulating the
British film “1917” on picking up three awards at the Oscars,
along with the seven BAFTAs that it picked up earlier this month.
“1917” is one of thousands of film productions that has benefited
from the Government’s creative industry tax reliefs, which the
producer of “1917” said were “crucial” to supporting our
world-leading production industry.
As we heard, yesterday the Government published their initial
response to the online harms White Paper, confirming their
commitment to free speech and that they want the UK to be the
safest place for users to be online.
Dr Wallis
Bridgend’s local council is proposing to increase the fees that
it charges local sports clubs by up to 500%. Many of these clubs
tell me that they will need to close if that is implemented. Does
my hon. Friend that every step should be taken, at all levels of
government, to improve grassroots sport?
That is absolutely right. I agree that the Government should seek
to support sport and physical activity at every level so that
everyone, regardless of their age or ability, has the option to
get more active. That is why, through Sport England, we are
investing more than £1 billion between 2017 and 2021 to get more
people active and to reach out to people who traditionally have
not necessarily thought that sport and physical activity is for
them.
(Lewisham, Deptford)
(Lab)
DCMS has not published impact data on the National Citizen
Service since 2016. With former partner organisations going out
of business and the transition to new contracts reported as
being, at best, turbulent, what are the Government doing to
ensure that taxpayers’ money is spent appropriately and for the
benefit of all young people across the UK?
I remind the hon. Lady that the National Citizen Service has
benefited almost 600,000 young people in disadvantaged areas
across the country. It teaches life skills, improves confidence—I
have seen that in my constituency—and boosts employability. It is
still the fastest-growing youth movement that we have had in this
country for a century.
(South West
Hertfordshire) (Con)
T2. Football fans have long called for safe standing in stadiums.
Does my hon. Friend agree that if the fans want it, and it can be
done safely, we should work with clubs towards introducing
standing options in their stands? [900789]
I fully intend to deliver on our commitment to work with fans to
move towards standing at football. In one of my first meetings
following the election, I met the Premier League, the English
Football League, the Football Association, the Sports Grounds
Safety Authority and the Football Supporters’ Association to
discuss this pledge with them. Last week, I was pleased to
receive the interim findings of the Sports Grounds Safety
Authority’s research, and I have asked it to continue that
research with a view to delivering safe standing at football for
football supporters.
(Carmarthen East and
Dinefwr) (PC)
T4. The Department’s contribution to the funding of S4C is due to
cease in 2022. Does the Minister intend the licence fee to make
up the shortfall? Given the present uncertainty about the fee,
will he, as a matter of urgency, make a statement about how the
funding will be protected post 2022? [900791]
The funding model that was agreed in 2015 is guaranteed, and the
licence fee model is guaranteed until 2027. S4C is a very
important public service broadcaster. Conversations will continue
from this period onwards, and the funding element of S4C will
feature strongly in them.
(Brecon and Radnorshire)
(Con)
T3. While cities embrace 5G, 3G is a dream for many of my
constituents, particularly in the Teme valley, which is a large
rural notspot. Can the Minister confirm that tackling poor mobile
signals in rural areas is very much part of the Government’s
commitment to levelling up? [900790]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Digital, Culture,
Media and Sport ()
I absolutely can confirm that. I know how important any kind of
mobile coverage still is in some parts of the country. My hon.
Friend will have heard the earlier answer about the shared rural
network. It is still being negotiated, and the exact sites that
will benefit first will be negotiated by the mobile networks
themselves, but I would welcome the opportunity to meet my hon.
Friend and talk about where we can benefit her constituents most.
(Ellesmere Port and Neston)
(Lab)
Since the Glazers took over Manchester United in 2005, more than
£1 billion has been taken out of the club, which they are using
as a personal cash cow. Does the Minister agree that that model
of ownership is not what we want for our football clubs?
The hon. Gentleman makes a good point. Football clubs such as
Manchester United are at the heart of local communities. They
have unique social value, and many of them have a great history.
We have committed ourselves to a fan-led review of football
governance, which will include consideration of the owners and
directors test, but, as the hon. Gentleman says, it is very
important for us to ensure that our game is protected for the
fans.
(Isle of Wight) (Con)
T5. Given the almost weekly stories showing the unsuitability of
Huawei as a high-risk, high-tech vendor of our 5G, is the
Minister aware that while we in this country are saying that we
can build a 5G network that separates core and periphery, nearly
all our closest allies and their cyber agencies say that that
cannot be done? [900792]
As my hon. Friend knows, the Government will legislate at the
earliest opportunity to ensure that we do everything in line with
the advice of our agencies, which is that with the “ban and cap”
approach, we can ensure that national security is our top
priority while also building the 5G network that we deserve
safely.
(Caithness, Sutherland and
Easter Ross) (LD)
I have lost count of the number of times I have raised the
faltering roll-out of broadband in my vast and remote
constituency. The UK Government give money to the Scottish
Government to ensure that that roll-out happens. May I suggest
that the UK Government carry out some kind of audit to see where
the money has gone—or, in my case, not gone?
The hon. Gentleman is right to say that no one is happy with the
speed of the roll-out in Scotland, particularly in constituencies
such as his. That is why I look forward to working with my
Scottish counterpart to improve the position. I expect the
Scottish audit authorities to take careful note of what he has
just said.
(Bury South)
(Con)
T6. Local newspapers are crucial both to our local democracy, in
holding people to account, and to bringing our local communities
together. What steps is my hon. Friend taking to ensure that
newspapers such as the Jewish Telegraph in my constituency have
the support that they need to flourish? [900793]
My hon. Friend is right to mention the important role played by
local newspapers—not least the Selby Times. It is clear to the
Government that they play an invaluable role in the fabric of our
society, ensuring that there is a healthy democracy both
nationally and locally. On 27 January, we published our formal
response to the independent Cairncross review, which outlines the
steps that regulators, Government and industry will take to
support the future of the news publishing industry nationally and
locally.
(Blaenau Gwent) (Lab)
In the first weekend of this year, nearly 200,000 people
participated in Parkrun events. As the chair of the new all-party
parliamentary group on Parkrun, may I ask the Minister to meet me
to discuss how the Government can support this new social
phenomenon and improve public health?
I will definitely meet the hon. Gentleman to discuss this issue.
Park runs have taken off phenomenally well across the country. As
yet, my schedule has been so busy that I have not managed to fit
one in, but I am sure that the opportunity will arise. Park runs
are great things—they are great for community meeting—so let us
potentially do one together.
(Wrexham) (Con)
T7. I should like to reiterate the comments made by my hon.
Friend the Member for Brecon and Radnorshire (). Does the Minister agree
that, while every effort is rightly being made to roll out 5G, it
is not just rural communities that are having a problem? The
peripheries of towns such as Wrexham are also struggling to
obtain 3G. Will he please meet me as well? [900795]
I look forward to having a meeting with my hon. Friend on this
subject, but I reiterate that it is not only rural areas that
will benefit from the shared rural network; urban and suburban
areas will benefit as well.
