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

1521743

	registered interest
	date	13/10/2022
	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: Infrastructure
	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 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.
	tabling member constituency	Harlow
	tabling member printed	Robert Halfon
	uin	62786
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 21/10/2022 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 answering member printed Julia Lopez grouped question UIN 62787 62999 question first answered 21/10/2022 12:35:34 answering member 4647 label Biography information for Julia Lopez
	tabling member	3985 label Biography information for Robert Halfon

1521744

	registered interest
	date	13/10/2022
	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: Infrastructure
	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 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.
	tabling member constituency	Harlow
	tabling member printed	Robert Halfon
	uin	62787
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 21/10/2022 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 answering member printed Julia Lopez grouped question UIN 62786 62999 question first answered 21/10/2022 12:35:34 answering member 4647 label Biography information for Julia Lopez
	tabling member	3985 label Biography information for Robert Halfon

1365414

	registered interest
	date	02/11/2021
	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	Digital Technology: Harlow
	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 she is taking to improve digital connectivity in villages in Harlow constituency.
	tabling member constituency	Harlow
	tabling member printed	Robert Halfon
	uin	68215
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 08/11/2021 answer text <p>The government is committed to delivering lightning-fast, reliable broadband to everyone in the country. That is why in March this year we launched the first phase of the government’s £5 billion Project Gigabit to ensure that hard to reach communities are not left out of the revolution in connectivity.</p><p>Significant Building Digital UK (BDUK), County and Local Council investment alongside commercial activity has led to Harlow and Epping Forest District Council areas being among the best connected parts of the UK for Gigabit broadband.</p><p>According to the latest data, the Harlow constituency area currently has over 91% gigabit-capable coverage availability to homes and businesses, well ahead of the UK average at 58%. Similarly, the Epping Forest District Council area has over 85% gigabit availability.</p><p>Rural premises around the villages, that have not yet been upgraded by commercial activity, or the government funded superfast project, are able to apply for the Gigabit Broadband Voucher Scheme, allowing residents and suppliers to target investment where demand exists for very high speed connectivity. This scheme is open for communities and businesses living in rural areas not in line for commercial rollout or government-funded projects, to provide immediate help with the costs of installing gigabit. You can find an eligibility checker on our <a href="https://gigabitvoucher.culture.gov.uk/" target="_blank">website</a>.</p><p>The constituency of Harlow has already made good use of the scheme, with 21 vouchers having been connected and a further 23 vouchers awaiting connection for a combined value of £90,631.</p><p>The supply side of Project Gigabit, which will target all remaining sub-gigabit properties in Essex, including the Harlow constituency, is planned to launch between May and July 2023. This project aims to give all residents and businesses access to future-proofed very high speed connectivity.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Hornchurch and Upminster answering member printed Julia Lopez question first answered 08/11/2021 12:11:24 answering member 4647 label Biography information for Julia Lopez
	tabling member	3985 label Biography information for Robert Halfon

1360651

	registered interest
	date	18/10/2021
	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	Planning Permission: Newspaper Press
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, if she plans to expand the requirement for (a) planning and (b) other statutory notices to be placed with news outlets to include digital-only news outlets.
	tabling member constituency	Harlow
	tabling member printed	Robert Halfon
	uin	58377
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 21/10/2021 answer text <p>While policy responsibility for each specific type of statutory notice lies with other departments, my department is working closely with the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities to ensure that the implications of any changes to publicity requirements relating to planning notices are understood before decisions are taken, as they consider next steps with regard to the Planning for the Future White Paper.</p> answering member constituency Hornchurch and Upminster answering member printed Julia Lopez grouped question UIN 58378 question first answered 21/10/2021 13:00:45 answering member 4647 label Biography information for Julia Lopez
	tabling member	3985 label Biography information for Robert Halfon

1360652

	registered interest
	date	18/10/2021
	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	Local Government: Newspaper Press
	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 she has to enable local authorities to place statutory notices with digital-only local news outlets.
	tabling member constituency	Harlow
	tabling member printed	Robert Halfon
	uin	58378
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 21/10/2021 answer text <p>While policy responsibility for each specific type of statutory notice lies with other departments, my department is working closely with the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities to ensure that the implications of any changes to publicity requirements relating to planning notices are understood before decisions are taken, as they consider next steps with regard to the Planning for the Future White Paper.</p> answering member constituency Hornchurch and Upminster answering member printed Julia Lopez grouped question UIN 58377 question first answered 21/10/2021 13:00:45 answering member 4647 label Biography information for Julia Lopez
	tabling member	3985 label Biography information for Robert Halfon