Knight Urges Broadband Boost

Greg, who has been calling for action to deal with poor broadband, has welcomed the Government’s announcement of £5 billion additional funding to support the roll out of full-fibre broadband in the hardest to reach 20% of the country.

Speaking in the House of Commons before dissolution Greg said: “One of the main difficulties facing small rural businesses is the non-availability of fast and reliable broadband? In the light of the government pledge can we now assume that the days in which a geographically isolated business is also digitally isolated really are numbered?”

Treasury Minister Simon Clarke responded by confirming that the £5 billion investment will ensure the Prime Minister’s commitment to deliver full fibre broadband access by 2025 or before is fulfilled.

Greg adds: “People in East Yorkshire rightly expect access to high-speed broadband. Whether at home or work, fast broadband should be a reality in all our communities, and it is especially important in rural areas where the population is somewhat geographically isolated”.

“Britain should be leading the world in digital innovation. We have come a long way, but with this new funding we will do better. I want to see even more action to deliver the broadband service that local people deserve”.

By contrast Labour’s new plans to take state control of UK broadband have been branded “broadband communism” by Neil McRae, BT’s chief network architect.

Julian David, chief executive of TechUK, which represents many UK tech firms, said: “Labour’s proposals would be a disaster for the telecoms sector and the customers that it serves.

Greg adds: “The Australian experience of nationalising broadband was branded as ‘their biggest infrastructure failure ever.”