The Enterprising Libraries programme, a £1.2 million partnership between Arts Council England, the British Library and the Department for Communities and Local Government, is supporting local economic growth by turning libraries into spaces for the development of business ideas, providing coaching, advice, meeting spaces and IT support for local businesses and entrepreneurs. Currently sixteen public libraries in England are actively engaged in the programme and receiving financial support.<\/p>
Other specific initiatives being delivered through public libraries includes the Access to Research service. This two year pilot commenced in January 2014 and provides a free service enabling local libraries to provide users with access to a wealth of research, including business information. In addition, library authorities are developing business resources to meet local needs. Staffordshire for example has introduced Start2, a service that is available in all public libraries across the county and has trained staff offering information and signposting on all aspects of looking for and finding work, including providing a starting point for entrepreneurs who want to start their own business and small enterprises looking to expand by signposting them to relevant sources of information or specialist organisations.<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/1580", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Lord Vaizey of Didcot"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Wantage"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Mr Edward Vaizey"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2014-06-30", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2014-06-30T16:17:31.9962623Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "10"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Culture, Media and Sport"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Culture, Media and Sport"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2014-06-23", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Public Libraries"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what recent steps he has taken to provide more business resources in libraries.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/1586", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Adam Afriyie"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Windsor"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Adam Afriyie"} ], "uin" : "201676"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/63204", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Culture Media and Sport"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/63204/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
I can confirm that the Berkshire broadband project was allocated £2.03m, which was matched by the Berkshire councils, the project signed its supplier contract on 04 October 2013 and is proposing to make available superfast broadband to over 17,000 premises that would not otherwise have got it.<\/p>
<\/p>
Ofcom monitors and reports on broadband and the table is of Next Generation Access availability across Berkshire between 2012 and 2013:<\/p>
<\/p>
Local Authorities<\/strong><\/p><\/td> 2012<\/strong><\/p><\/td> 2013<\/strong><\/p><\/td><\/tr> BRACKNELL FOREST<\/p><\/td> 76.8%<\/p><\/td> 96.2%<\/p><\/td><\/tr> READING<\/p><\/td> 92.9%<\/p><\/td> 95.0%<\/p><\/td><\/tr> SLOUGH<\/p><\/td> 91.7%<\/p><\/td> 96.6%<\/p><\/td><\/tr> WEST BERKSHIRE<\/p><\/td> 59.5%<\/p><\/td> 65.1%<\/p><\/td><\/tr> WINDSOR AND MAIDENHEAD<\/p><\/td> 83.1%<\/p><\/td> 89.7%<\/p><\/td><\/tr> WOKINGHAM<\/p><\/td> 87.3%<\/p><\/td> 92.5%<\/p><\/td><\/tr> Berkshire<\/strong><\/p><\/td> 81.7%<\/strong><\/p><\/td> 88.5%<\/strong><\/p><\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/1580", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Lord Vaizey of Didcot"}
}
, "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Wantage"}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Mr Edward Vaizey"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2014-06-30", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2014-06-30T16:16:52.775123Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "10"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Culture, Media and Sport"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Culture, Media and Sport"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2014-06-23", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Broadband: South East"}
, "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"}
, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"}
}
], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what progress he has made on improving the availability of superfast broadband in (a) the Thames Valley and (b) Windsor constituency.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/1586", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Adam Afriyie"}
}
, "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Windsor"}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Adam Afriyie"}
], "uin" : "201678"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/50011", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Culture Media and Sport"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/50011/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " Government is aware of the need to put more spectrum into the market to support innovation and growth and launched the Public Sector Spectrum Release Programme in 2011. This programme aims to release 500MHz of sub-5GHz spectrum from public sector use by 2020. One of the early actions was to gauge stakeholder demand at a series of events. The most recent Programme update was published on 10 March 2014. On the same day Government published the UK Spectrum Strategy which sets out a vision for efficient and flexible spectrum management, with specific actions and the goal of doubling the contribution of spectrum use to the economy by 2025. Both documents can be found on the GOV.UK website: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/spectrum-strategy<\/a><\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/1580", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Lord Vaizey of Didcot"}
}
, "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Wantage"}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Mr Edward Vaizey"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2014-05-13", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2014-05-13T12:00:00.00Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "10"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Culture, Media and Sport"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Culture, Media and Sport"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2014-05-06", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"}
, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"}
}
], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what recent representations he has received on privatising a larger share of the radio spectrum; and if he will make a statement.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/1586", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Adam Afriyie"}
}
, "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Windsor"}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Adam Afriyie"}
], "uin" : "197734"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/48776", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Culture Media and Sport"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/48776/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " Officials have consulted Ofcom who hold such information. Ofcom advise that they do not hold such information for bands below 87.5MHz, but have provided information for bands from 87.5MHz-30GHz.<\/p> <\/p> Ofcom has identified the proportion of spectrum accessed for public sector uses (not limited to the military), defined as all spectrum bands used by the public sector with Crown immunity (i.e. without need for authorisation by Ofcom). For the purpose of this analysis, this category includes all aeronautical uses of spectrum.<\/p> Crown use of spectrum as a % of total weighted spectrum<\/p><\/td><\/tr> 87.5 MHz<\/p><\/td> 30 GHz<\/p><\/td> 54%<\/p><\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table> <\/p> 26% of the total weighted spectrum in the 87.5MHz to 30 GHz is allocated for radiolocation services/radar.<\/p> <\/p> Ofcom cannot provide specific information with regards to spectrum in use for public service broadcasting as the national allocation of frequencies does not distinguish between public service broadcasting and non-public service broadcasting. The table below provides information with regards to the proportion of total weighted spectrum in use for terrestrial broadcasting, split into TV and radio.<\/p> Terrestrial broadcasting spectrum as a % of total weighted spectrum<\/p><\/td> TV<\/p><\/td> Radio<\/p><\/td><\/tr> 87.5 MHz<\/p><\/td> 30 GHz<\/p><\/td> 8%<\/p><\/td> 7%<\/p><\/td> 1%<\/p><\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/1580", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Lord Vaizey of Didcot"}
}
, "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Wantage"}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Mr Edward Vaizey"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2014-05-06", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2014-05-06T12:00:00.00Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "10"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Culture, Media and Sport"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Culture, Media and Sport"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2014-04-28", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"}
, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"}
}
], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what proportion of the radio spectrum is earmarked for (a) military purposes, (b) radar purposes and (c) public service broadcasting.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/1586", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Adam Afriyie"}
}
, "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Windsor"}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Adam Afriyie"}
], "uin" : "196840"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/48778", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Culture Media and Sport"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/48778/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " <\/p> Officials have consulted Ofcom who hold such information. Ofcom advise that they do not hold such information for bands below 87.5MHz (as frequencies above this are considered to be the most important and usable), but have provided information for bands from 87.5MHz-30GHz.<\/p> <\/p> The table provides an overview of the proportion of total weighted spectrum accessed for market uses by band.<\/p> <\/p> Lower frequency<\/p><\/td> Upper frequency<\/p><\/td> Spectrum authorised for Market uses as a % of total weighted spectrum<\/p><\/td><\/tr> 87.5 MHz<\/p><\/td> 328.6 MHz<\/p><\/td> 47%<\/p><\/td><\/tr> 328.6 MHz<\/p><\/td> 3.1 GHz<\/p><\/td> 73%<\/p><\/td><\/tr> 3.1 GHz<\/p><\/td> 30 GHz<\/p><\/td> 80%<\/p><\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table> <\/p> <\/p> |