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1419029

registered interest
date	02/02/2022
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	Telephone Systems
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 it is her Department's policy to ensure that the proposed changes to the Public Switched Telephone Network in 2025 are accompanied by improved broadband access and speeds, especially in more rural areas.
tabling member constituency	Halifax
tabling member printed	Holly Lynch
uin	116997
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 07/02/2022 answer text <p>The Public Switched Telephone Network is a privately-owned telecoms network and the decision to upgrade it has been taken by the telecoms industry, not the government. The decision has been taken as the network is increasingly unreliable and prone to failure, and spare parts are becoming harder to source due to a reduction in global production.</p><p>However, some Internet Service Providers are planning on migrating customers from PSTN connections only when a full-fibre connection is available at their premises, meaning higher broadband speeds and greater reliability.</p><p>More broadly, the government is committed to delivering nationwide gigabit connectivity as soon as possible. Today, over 65% of premises can access gigabit-capable networks, up from just one in ten in November 2019. The Government is also investing £5 billion as part of Project Gigabit to ensure the hardest-to-reach areas in the UK receive coverage: up to 2.5 million premises are within the scope of procurements we have already announced.</p> answering member constituency Hornchurch and Upminster answering member printed Julia Lopez question first answered 07/02/2022 16:20:35 answering member 4647 label Biography information for Julia Lopez
tabling member	4472 label Biography information for Holly Lynch

1356095

registered interest
date	16/09/2021
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: Disadvantaged
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	What steps she is taking to help prevent people from becoming digitally excluded.
tabling member constituency	Halifax
tabling member printed	Holly Lynch
uin	903490
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 28/09/2021 answer text <p>The Government has worked closely with providers to put in place social tariffs. These provide low cost landline and broadband services for people on means-tested state benefits. We are encouraging providers who do not currently offer social tariff packages to do so. The telecoms industry has also removed data caps on fixed broadband packages, and provides free or low cost data boosts on mobile services to support vulnerable consumers.</p><p><strong> </strong></p><p>In February DCMS also launched a £2.5 million Digital Lifeline Fund to reduce the digital exclusion of people with learning disabilities.This fund has provided tablets, data and free digital support to over 5,000 people with learning disabilities, enabling them to connect with friends and family, and access services and support groups, promoting overall well being.</p><p><strong> </strong></p><p>The Government has also introduced a digital entitlement for adults with no or low digital skills to undertake specified digital qualifications, up to level 1, free of charge.</p><p><strong><p><p></strong></p><p>Finally, around 2,900 public libraries in England provide accessible locations offering free Wi-Fi, computers, and other technology. Library staff, often supported by volunteers, can provide library users with digital support.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Hornchurch and Upminster answering member printed Julia Lopez question first answered 28/09/2021 10:39:56 answering member 4647 label Biography information for Julia Lopez
tabling member	4472 label Biography information for Holly Lynch