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1521743
registered interest false more like this
date less than 2022-10-13more like thismore than 2022-10-13
answering body
Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport more like this
answering dept id 10 more like this
answering dept short name Digital, Culture, Media and Sport more like this
answering dept sort name Digital, Culture, Media and Sport more like this
hansard heading Telecommunications: Infrastructure remove filter
house id 1 more like this
legislature
25259
pref label House of Commons more like this
question text To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, whether her Department has made an assessment of the potential impact of the Product Security and Telecommunications Infrastructure Bill on the individual property rights of site providers of telecommunications equipment. more like this
tabling member constituency Harlow remove filter
tabling member printed
Robert Halfon more like this
uin 62786 more like this
answer
answer
is ministerial correction false more like this
date of answer less than 2022-10-21more like thismore than 2022-10-21
answer text <p>The 2017 reforms to the Electronic Communications Code were intended to make it easier for digital communications operators to deploy and maintain their networks. Those changes included the introduction of a statutory valuation regime, which reflected the government’s view that the cost of acquiring rights to install digital infrastructure on private land prior to 2017 was too high and needed to be addressed. The valuation regime introduced in 2017 is more closely aligned to those for utilities such as water and electricity and reflects the fact that access to good quality digital services is an increasingly critical part of daily life for residents across the UK.</p><p>The Government continues to believe that the framework strikes the correct balance between ensuring individual landowners receive fair payments for allowing their land to be used and encouraging the industry investment needed for consumers across the UK to have access to fast, reliable digital services. Data provided to DCMS shows that so far this year agreements have been reached on 107 new sites, with heads of terms being agreed on a further 66. In relation to existing sites, 533 renewal agreements have been concluded so far this year, with heads of terms agreed on a further 119 sites. The data also shows that there has been a year on year increase in the number of concluded agreements since 2020. We think this reflects informal feedback we have received from all stakeholders suggesting that the market is adapting to the valuation framework.</p><p>Since the introduction of the reforms in 2017 we have engaged with and listened to stakeholders to understand the impact of the reforms in practice. This has included a formal consultation on further changes to the Code, which led to the provisions in the Product Security and Telecommunications Infrastructure Bill, as well as ongoing (and continuing) engagement with stakeholders throughout the passage of the Bill.</p><p>In parallel, DCMS officials have convened monthly Access to Land Workshops over the last 12-18 months, which cover a number of workstreams and attract attendance from stakeholders across the telecommunications industry, including site provider representatives. I am pleased to say that these workshops have made excellent progress and one of the outputs of this work is the creation of a new industry body, the National Connectivity Alliance, which in time will continue this work independently of DCMS.</p><p>Any impacts on the rights of individual property owners have been carefully considered and balanced against the public benefits of improved connectivity. In particular, where measures in the Bill have the potential to be applied retrospectively, the rights of landowners were given careful consideration.</p><p>The Government does not intend to separately or specifically review the Electronic Communications Code rental payments market. However, the government will continue to carefully monitor the effectiveness of this legislation. For example, officials will continue to engage with stakeholders in the period leading up to the Bill’s implementation and subsequently, to understand how the new provisions are working in practice.</p><p> </p>
answering member constituency Hornchurch and Upminster more like this
answering member printed Julia Lopez more like this
grouped question UIN
62787 more like this
62999 more like this
question first answered
less than 2022-10-21T12:35:34.033Zmore like thismore than 2022-10-21T12:35:34.033Z
answering member
4647
label Biography information for Julia Lopez more like this
tabling member
3985
label Biography information for Robert Halfon more like this
1521744
registered interest false more like this
date less than 2022-10-13more like thismore than 2022-10-13
answering body
Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport more like this
answering dept id 10 more like this
answering dept short name Digital, Culture, Media and Sport more like this
answering dept sort name Digital, Culture, Media and Sport more like this
hansard heading Telecommunications: Infrastructure remove filter
house id 1 more like this
legislature
25259
pref label House of Commons more like this
question text To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what metrics her Department uses to assess the functioning of the rental payments market within the Electronic Communications Code; and if she will undertake a review of the effectiveness of the functioning of this market. more like this
tabling member constituency Harlow remove filter
tabling member printed
Robert Halfon more like this
uin 62787 more like this
answer
answer
is ministerial correction false more like this
date of answer less than 2022-10-21more like thismore than 2022-10-21
answer text <p>The 2017 reforms to the Electronic Communications Code were intended to make it easier for digital communications operators to deploy and maintain their networks. Those changes included the introduction of a statutory valuation regime, which reflected the government’s view that the cost of acquiring rights to install digital infrastructure on private land prior to 2017 was too high and needed to be addressed. The valuation regime introduced in 2017 is more closely aligned to those for utilities such as water and electricity and reflects the fact that access to good quality digital services is an increasingly critical part of daily life for residents across the UK.</p><p>The Government continues to believe that the framework strikes the correct balance between ensuring individual landowners receive fair payments for allowing their land to be used and encouraging the industry investment needed for consumers across the UK to have access to fast, reliable digital services. Data provided to DCMS shows that so far this year agreements have been reached on 107 new sites, with heads of terms being agreed on a further 66. In relation to existing sites, 533 renewal agreements have been concluded so far this year, with heads of terms agreed on a further 119 sites. The data also shows that there has been a year on year increase in the number of concluded agreements since 2020. We think this reflects informal feedback we have received from all stakeholders suggesting that the market is adapting to the valuation framework.</p><p>Since the introduction of the reforms in 2017 we have engaged with and listened to stakeholders to understand the impact of the reforms in practice. This has included a formal consultation on further changes to the Code, which led to the provisions in the Product Security and Telecommunications Infrastructure Bill, as well as ongoing (and continuing) engagement with stakeholders throughout the passage of the Bill.</p><p>In parallel, DCMS officials have convened monthly Access to Land Workshops over the last 12-18 months, which cover a number of workstreams and attract attendance from stakeholders across the telecommunications industry, including site provider representatives. I am pleased to say that these workshops have made excellent progress and one of the outputs of this work is the creation of a new industry body, the National Connectivity Alliance, which in time will continue this work independently of DCMS.</p><p>Any impacts on the rights of individual property owners have been carefully considered and balanced against the public benefits of improved connectivity. In particular, where measures in the Bill have the potential to be applied retrospectively, the rights of landowners were given careful consideration.</p><p>The Government does not intend to separately or specifically review the Electronic Communications Code rental payments market. However, the government will continue to carefully monitor the effectiveness of this legislation. For example, officials will continue to engage with stakeholders in the period leading up to the Bill’s implementation and subsequently, to understand how the new provisions are working in practice.</p><p> </p>
answering member constituency Hornchurch and Upminster more like this
answering member printed Julia Lopez more like this
grouped question UIN
62786 more like this
62999 more like this
question first answered
less than 2022-10-21T12:35:34.08Zmore like thismore than 2022-10-21T12:35:34.08Z
answering member
4647
label Biography information for Julia Lopez more like this
tabling member
3985
label Biography information for Robert Halfon more like this