Extracts from remaining stages (Commons) of the Telecommunications Infrastructure (Relief from Non-Domestic Rates) Bill - Sep 5
Wednesday, 6 September 2017 08:22
Jim McMahon (Oldham West and Royton) (Lab/Co-op):...Big data
providers such as BT and Virgin will be the initial beneficiaries
of the relief—through big programmes such as Virgin Media’s
Project Lightning and BT’s Openreach subsidiary—but, in the longer
term, it is expected and hoped that small providers will also
benefit when they lay new fibre in the ground. We need more detail
about how the scheme will go beyond the big players and get down to
smaller providers, particularly...Request free trial
(Oldham West and Royton)
(Lab/Co-op):...Big data providers such as BT and Virgin
will be the initial beneficiaries of the relief—through big
programmes such as Virgin
Media’s Project Lightning and BT’s Openreach subsidiary—but,
in the longer term, it is expected and hoped that small providers
will also benefit when they lay new fibre in the ground. We need
more detail about how the scheme will go beyond the big players and
get down to smaller providers, particularly those that are really
making an effort to reach out in rural areas to get to places that
are at a significant disadvantage when it comes to broadband
connectivity. There is no detail on that, and it would be good to
see some...
...It is important that the big players—Virgin Media and BT Openreach—understand
that the Government have not just written a cheque for £60 million,
which they are happy to write off if the scheme does not work. It
is a deal, and the money is being made available because the
Government are determined to see broadband rolled out. There is an
expectation that it will be rolled out, and if it is not, the
Government should have the facility—the mechanism—to change the
scheme if it is being abused. By adopting this new clause the
Government would send a message to the big providers that
Government are watching to make sure that they deliver what is
required, and that there will be a review in 12 months so that if
the relief is not working the Government can change the
legislation. I would welcome the Minister’s views on our new
clause.
The Minister for Digital (Matt Hancock):..To
build on that, we want to create an attractive environment for the
private sector to provide fibre. We are already seeing significant
investment by operators across the country, including the new and
growing altnets such as CityFibre, Gigaclear and Hyperoptic as well
as Openreach and Virgin
Media. That is supported by the Independent Networks
Cooperative Association and others. I commend all of them for their
work in the national interest. Business rates relief for new fibre
will reduce the costs of deployment for those operators and
incentivise the market to deliver where it otherwise may not have
done. It is all part of ensuring that we can deliver the
infrastructure that this country needs..
To read the whole debate, CLICK
HERE
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