Show Search Form

Search Results

registered interest	true false
date	exactly: or between: and
answering body
answering dept id
answering dept short name
answering dept sort name
hansard heading
house id
legislature	pref label
question text
tabling member constituency
tabling member printed
uin
answer	is ministerial correction true false date of answer exactly: or between: and answer text answering member constituency answering member printed grouped question UIN question first answered answering member label
tabling member	label

Search

1489602

registered interest
date	15/07/2022
answering body	Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport
answering dept id	10
answering dept short name	Digital, Culture, Media and Sport
answering dept sort name	Digital, Culture, Media and Sport
hansard heading	Telecommunications
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, how many meetings (a) Ministers and (b) officials in her Department have had with representatives of companies with powers under the Electronic Communications Code since March 2021.
tabling member constituency	Lewisham, Deptford
tabling member printed	Vicky Foxcroft
uin	37572
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 25/07/2022 answer text <p>The full list of Ministerial meetings is published on GOV.UK on a quarterly basis.</p><p>Ministers and officials meet with representatives of companies with powers under the Electronic Communications Code (the Code), on a regular basis to discuss a wide range of policy and delivery matters, including those related to the Electronic Communications Code.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Boston and Skegness answering member printed Matt Warman question first answered 25/07/2022 13:16:00 answering member 4361 label Biography information for Matt Warman
tabling member	4491 label Biography information for Vicky Foxcroft

1439619

registered interest
date	10/03/2022
answering body	Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport
answering dept id	10
answering dept short name	Digital, Culture, Media and Sport
answering dept sort name	Digital, Culture, Media and Sport
hansard heading	Telecommunications
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment her Department is making with the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities of the potential merits of introducing a voucher scheme for small landlords to deal with the costs associated with processing a wayleave.
tabling member constituency	Solihull
tabling member printed	Julian Knight
uin	138058
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 17/03/2022 answer text <p>Small landlords are already able to recover the costs of processing a wayleave. Wayleaves fall within the scope of the Electronic Communications Code, which makes provision for landowners to receive compensation from telecoms operators for any loss they incur due to entering into a wayleave or any other access agreement.</p><p>The costs should therefore be met by the operator seeking the wayleave and the government has no plans at this stage to introduce or fund a voucher scheme for these purposes.</p> answering member constituency Hornchurch and Upminster answering member printed Julia Lopez question first answered 17/03/2022 08:17:46 answering member 4647 label Biography information for Julia Lopez
tabling member	4410 label Biography information for Julian Knight

1439622

registered interest
date	10/03/2022
answering body	Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport
answering dept id	10
answering dept short name	Digital, Culture, Media and Sport
answering dept sort name	Digital, Culture, Media and Sport
hansard heading	Telecommunications
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what steps her Department is taking to assess Ofcom's performance against its strategic objective of delivering fair and effective competition between existing network operators and new entrants; and when her Department plans to publish its assessment of that measure.
tabling member constituency	Solihull
tabling member printed	Julian Knight
uin	138061
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 14/03/2022 answer text <p>Ofcom set out last year its Wholesale Fixed Telecoms Market Review (‘WFTMR’) which establishes the frameworks it considers necessary to meet its duties under the Communications Act 2003, including the Statement of Strategic Priorities, to promote competition and investment in gigabit-capable networks.</p><p>The measures established under this WFTMR are now monitored through Ofcom’s Openreach Monitoring Unit.</p><p>Under the Communications Act 2003, Ofcom - rather than the government - is responsible for publishing a report of what it has done in consequence of the Statement every twelve months. The most recent report from Ofcom is on Ofcom’s <a href="https://www.ofcom.org.uk/about-ofcom/annual-reports-and-plans/2020-21-annual-report" target="_blank">website.</a></p><p>However, the fixed telecoms network market is as competitive as it has ever been and there are currently more than 80 providers building gigabit-capable networks across all parts of the UK.</p> answering member constituency Hornchurch and Upminster answering member printed Julia Lopez question first answered 14/03/2022 16:50:49 answering member 4647 label Biography information for Julia Lopez
tabling member	4410 label Biography information for Julian Knight

1439624

registered interest
date	10/03/2022
answering body	Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport
answering dept id	10
answering dept short name	Digital, Culture, Media and Sport
answering dept sort name	Digital, Culture, Media and Sport
hansard heading	Telecommunications
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what plans her Department has for informing consumers about changes that will happen to their telephone and internet services over the next three years.
tabling member constituency	Solihull
tabling member printed	Julian Knight
uin	138063
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 14/03/2022 answer text <p>Between now and 2025, the way landlines work in the UK is changing. Providers are moving from the old Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN) to new Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) technology. The PSTN is a privately-owned telecoms network and the decision to upgrade it has been taken by the telecoms industry.</p><p>As this is an industry-led migration, communications providers will contact their customers with information ahead of their line being upgraded. The exact migration process will depend on the provider and the type of equipment the customer has at their premises.</p><p>We are working together with Ofcom to ensure customers receive appropriate levels of communication and vulnerable consumers are protected. Ofcom requires that providers must engage in effective communications to ensure all vulnerable customers understand the risk in the migration to VoIP. We are also ensuring the telecoms industry is engaging with priority sectors such as Critical National Infrastructure and Telecare providers ahead of time.</p><p>Ofcom has set out initial proposals for the process for retiring the fixed copper broadband network. This is a separate process to the PSTN migration and we do not expect to see copper retirement in the next three years.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Hornchurch and Upminster answering member printed Julia Lopez question first answered 14/03/2022 16:52:02 answering member 4647 label Biography information for Julia Lopez
tabling member	4410 label Biography information for Julian Knight

1433589

registered interest
date	21/02/2022
answering body	Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport
answering dept id	10
answering dept short name	Digital, Culture, Media and Sport
answering dept sort name	Digital, Culture, Media and Sport
hansard heading	Telecommunications
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, with reference to the upgrading of the telephone network, what steps she is taking to ensure that the provision of voice services is maintained for vulnerable landline-only users without broadband.
tabling member constituency	St Albans
tabling member printed	Daisy Cooper
uin	126830
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 01/03/2022 answer text <p>Whilst the upgrade of UK landlines from the Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN) to Voice over IP (VoIP) technology is an industry-led initiative, the government and Ofcom are working together to ensure consumers and sectors are protected and prepared for the upgrade process.</p><p>In order to function correctly, VoIP services require a minimum stable connection speed of just 0.5Mbps, and voice-only services will still be available to consumers in the UK who do not wish to purchase a general internet connection.</p><p>Ofcom has issued guidance on this migration which states that providers should take steps to identify at-risk customers and engage in effective communications to ensure all are protected and supported in the switch-over process.</p><p>Moreover, the PSTN migration does not affect the universal service obligations set in the Electronic Communications (Universal Service) Order 2003 which require the designated providers to offer telephony services throughout the UK. BT and KCOM are therefore still required to maintain access to a range of telephony services as well as provide a series of special measures designed for users who have a disability.</p> answering member constituency Hornchurch and Upminster answering member printed Julia Lopez question first answered 01/03/2022 16:44:57 answering member 4647 label Biography information for Julia Lopez
tabling member	4769 label Biography information for Daisy Cooper

1405161

registered interest
date	21/01/2022
answering body	Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport
answering dept id	10
answering dept short name	Digital, Culture, Media and Sport
answering dept sort name	Digital, Culture, Media and Sport
hansard heading	Telecommunications
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, whether she plans to amend the Electronic Communications Code to allow fixed line telecoms operators to install apparatus on poles erected before 2017 without the need for a new wayleave agreement.
tabling member constituency	Plymouth, Sutton and Devonport
tabling member printed	Luke Pollard
uin	109340
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 31/01/2022 answer text <p>The Product Security and Telecommunications Infrastructure Bill includes measures that are intended to make it easier for operators to deploy, upgrade and share telecommunications infrastructure, while protecting the rights and interests of individual landowners.</p><p>The De Minimis Impact Assessment (which can be accessed <a href="https://bills.parliament.uk/bills/3069/publications" target="_blank">here</a>) sets out the overall potential benefits that the Bill will deliver. Access to robust and reliable connectivity is critical to our future economic prosperity. The reforms we are bringing forward through the Bill will help achieve that goal.</p><p>The measures in the Bill were carefully developed to balance the public benefits they can deliver and any interference with individual property rights.</p><p>However, since the Bill was introduced, stakeholders have indicated that additional, substantial public benefit may be achieved if upgrading and sharing is more readily available, particularly in relation to telegraph poles installed on private land before 2017.</p><p>My officials are discussing this point with stakeholders to test the impact of the present proposals and to understand whether the correct balance has been achieved. If appropriate, changes will be considered.</p> answering member constituency Hornchurch and Upminster answering member printed Julia Lopez grouped question UIN 109341 109342 question first answered 31/01/2022 12:14:11 answering member 4647 label Biography information for Julia Lopez
tabling member	4682 label Biography information for Luke Pollard

1405163

registered interest
date	21/01/2022
answering body	Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport
answering dept id	10
answering dept short name	Digital, Culture, Media and Sport
answering dept sort name	Digital, Culture, Media and Sport
hansard heading	Telecommunications
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, with reference to the provisions included in Paragraph 74 of the Electronic Communications Code, what assessment she has made of telecoms operators’ ability to (a) fly lines between BT poles on private land and (b) install the necessary apparatus on BT poles on private land.
tabling member constituency	Plymouth, Sutton and Devonport
tabling member printed	Luke Pollard
uin	109342
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 31/01/2022 answer text <p>The Product Security and Telecommunications Infrastructure Bill includes measures that are intended to make it easier for operators to deploy, upgrade and share telecommunications infrastructure, while protecting the rights and interests of individual landowners.</p><p>The De Minimis Impact Assessment (which can be accessed <a href="https://bills.parliament.uk/bills/3069/publications" target="_blank">here</a>) sets out the overall potential benefits that the Bill will deliver. Access to robust and reliable connectivity is critical to our future economic prosperity. The reforms we are bringing forward through the Bill will help achieve that goal.</p><p>The measures in the Bill were carefully developed to balance the public benefits they can deliver and any interference with individual property rights.</p><p>However, since the Bill was introduced, stakeholders have indicated that additional, substantial public benefit may be achieved if upgrading and sharing is more readily available, particularly in relation to telegraph poles installed on private land before 2017.</p><p>My officials are discussing this point with stakeholders to test the impact of the present proposals and to understand whether the correct balance has been achieved. If appropriate, changes will be considered.</p> answering member constituency Hornchurch and Upminster answering member printed Julia Lopez grouped question UIN 109340 109341 question first answered 31/01/2022 12:14:11 answering member 4647 label Biography information for Julia Lopez
tabling member	4682 label Biography information for Luke Pollard

1315346

registered interest
date	17/05/2021
answering body	Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport
answering dept id	10
answering dept short name	Digital, Culture, Media and Sport
answering dept sort name	Digital, Culture, Media and Sport
hansard heading	Telecommunications
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, whether he has made an assessment of the life time of the UK’s (a) 2G and (b) 3G networks.
tabling member constituency	Newcastle upon Tyne Central
tabling member printed	Chi Onwurah
uin	2293
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 24/05/2021 answer text <p>The Government is working with mobile operators, suppliers, and users to set a clear roadmap for the sunsetting or streamlining of 2G and 3G technologies, following the recommendations of the Diversification Taskforce, published on 20 April on <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/telecoms-diversification-taskforce-findings-and-report/telecoms-diversification-taskforce-findings-and-report" target="_blank">GOV.UK</a>.</p><p><strong> </strong></p><p>The Government expects to set out next steps this summer, in order to provide operators, suppliers and users with clarity and confidence about the long-term technology roadmap in the UK.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Boston and Skegness answering member printed Matt Warman question first answered 24/05/2021 14:54:02 answering member 4361 label Biography information for Matt Warman
tabling member	4124 label Biography information for Chi Onwurah

1258123

registered interest
date	03/12/2020
answering body	Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport
answering dept id	10
answering dept short name	Digital, Culture, Media and Sport
answering dept sort name	Digital, Culture, Media and Sport
hansard heading	Telecommunications
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what plans he has for the diversification of the fibre supply chain as part of removing Huawei from UK fibre networks.
tabling member constituency	Newcastle upon Tyne Central
tabling member printed	Chi Onwurah
uin	124751
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 08/12/2020 answer text <p>Government is clear that market consolidation is also a prominent issue affecting the supply chain for fixed access networks. As we announced in July, we are conducting a technical consultation which will inform our approach to accelerating diversification within fixed networks. We will set out our plans to diversify the fixed access supply market after the consultation has concluded.</p><p>We continue to work closely with network operators to support the introduction of alternative suppliers as soon as possible. We have said from the start that we will seek to incentivise existing scale players to enter the market and we remain committed to that. We welcome the progress of operators who are already taking steps to bring in new scale vendors.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Boston and Skegness answering member printed Matt Warman question first answered 08/12/2020 15:05:13 answering member 4361 label Biography information for Matt Warman
tabling member	4124 label Biography information for Chi Onwurah

1258131

registered interest
date	03/12/2020
answering body	Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport
answering dept id	10
answering dept short name	Digital, Culture, Media and Sport
answering dept sort name	Digital, Culture, Media and Sport
hansard heading	Telecommunications
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, how he plans to allocate the £250 million of diversification strategy funding.
tabling member constituency	Newcastle upon Tyne Central
tabling member printed	Chi Onwurah
uin	124752
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 11/12/2020 answer text <p>The Government recognises that there is a need to work at pace to make early progress on 5G market diversification. As a first step towards delivering its long-term vision, the Government has committed an initial investment of up to £250 million, to kick off work to deliver its key priorities. Implementation of the strategy will be led by the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport. Some of these priorities include: the establishment of a world-class National Telecoms Lab; investing in a R&amp;D ecosystem; and seeking to lead a global coalition of like-minded partners to mount a coordinated international approach to diversification.</p><p>The Government's work in this area is informed by the Telecoms Diversification Taskforce, chaired by Lord Livingston and composed of independent experts from industry and academia. The Taskforce is advising my department on the design of targeted measures to deliver the Government’s long-term vision for the market.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Boston and Skegness answering member printed Matt Warman question first answered 11/12/2020 13:31:39 answering member 4361 label Biography information for Matt Warman
tabling member	4124 label Biography information for Chi Onwurah