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  • Scott Mann – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    Scott Mann – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Scott Mann on 2016-07-19.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what steps his Department plans to take to (a) help expedite implementation of neighbourhood plans and (b) prevent delays resulting from judicial review of such plans.

    Gavin Barwell

    We are committed to supporting communities throughout the process and encouraging more communities to join them. Reforms in the Housing and Planning Act 2016 will help to speed up and simplify the neighbourhood planning process. We are looking to introduce a new package of measures that would further strengthen the neighbourhood planning process when Parliamentary time allows over the course of the second session.

    The neighbourhood planning legislation means that most challenges to neighbourhood planning decisions need to be brought within six weeks of the decision that is being challenged, rather than three months for most other judicial review proceedings, with no discretion to extend the time limit. This helps ensure that any associated delays are minimal. The establishment of the Planning Court in 2014 also means that it is more likely that these cases will be heard quickly by a specialist planning judge.

  • Calum Kerr – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    Calum Kerr – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Calum Kerr on 2016-07-19.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what steps she will take to protect businesses in the digital sector as the UK prepares to leave the EU.

    Matt Hancock

    The Department for Culture, Media and Sport is working closely with all of our sectors to make sure they have a voice as we prepare for negotiations to exit the European Union. We will continue to have regular engagement with organisations from across the digital sector to make sure their views and concerns are represented fully in our preparations for exit negotiations.

  • Calum Kerr – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy

    Calum Kerr – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Calum Kerr on 2016-07-19.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what assessment he has made of the effect of the outcome of the EU referendum on the UK’s participation in the Digital Single Market.

    Margot James

    The Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy has not made such an assessment. The UK remains a member of the EU and will continue to play an active role in the development of the Digital Single Market until the formal and legal process of leaving the European Union has been finalised.

  • Nicholas Soames – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    Nicholas Soames – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Nicholas Soames on 2016-07-19.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what additional support and resources her Department is providing to assist West Sussex County Council in meeting its universal broadband obligations.

    Matt Hancock

    The Government has implemented a basic broadband scheme to enable all premises to gain access to speeds of at least 2Mbps. This enables residents to gain access to every government service available online. Funding for subsidised connections through the scheme is provided by Broadband Delivery UK (BDUK) as part of the government’s superfast broadband programme. Consumers in eligible premises can access services from any of the suppliers who have been entered onto the scheme by BDUK.

    In addition it is the Government’s intention to implement a new broadband Universal Service Obligation. This will give people the legal right to request a broadband connection, no matter where they live, by the end of this Parliament. Our ambition is that the minimum download speed should initially be set at 10 Mbps.

  • Calum Kerr – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    Calum Kerr – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Calum Kerr on 2016-07-19.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, if her Department will make it its policy to launch commercial 5G services in at least one city by 2020.

    Matt Hancock

    We are sponsoring the Future Communications Challenge Group (FCCG) of senior academics, industry experts and funders, chaired by the President of the Institute of Engineering and Technology, which is considering how we should drive forward our commitment to ensure that UK has a leading role in 5G development.

    In parallel the National Infrastructure Commission (NIC) is conducting a study, launched in Budget 2016, into how UK can achieve early deployment of 5G networks.

    Both of these will report by the end of the year and the results will feed into a comprehensive 5G strategy for the UK, to be published in 2017.

  • Calum Kerr – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    Calum Kerr – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Calum Kerr on 2016-07-19.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, if her Department will establish a 5G venture fund for 5G technology start-ups.

    Matt Hancock

    We are sponsoring the Future Communications Challenge Group (FCCG) of senior academics, industry experts and funders, chaired by the President of the Institute of Engineering and Technology, which is considering how we should drive forward our commitment to ensure that UK has a leading role in 5G development.

    In parallel the National Infrastructure Commission (NIC) is conducting a study, launched in Budget 2016, into how UK can achieve early deployment of 5G networks.

    Both of these will report by the end of the year and the results will feed into a comprehensive 5G strategy for the UK, to be published in 2017.

  • Ronnie Cowan – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    Ronnie Cowan – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ronnie Cowan on 2016-07-19.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what steps her Department is taking to tackle cold-callers.

    Matt Hancock

    We are determined to tackle the scourge of nuisance calls, however a balance needs to be struck between ensuring that consumers are adequately protected and also ensuring that the legitimate direct marketing industry can continue to operate. Our efforts are focused on taking action against companies that are deliberating break the rules, rather than penalising legitimate businesses who comply with the law.

  • Ronnie Cowan – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    Ronnie Cowan – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ronnie Cowan on 2016-07-19.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment she has made of the potential merits of making cold-calling a criminal offence.

    Matt Hancock

    We are determined to tackle the scourge of nuisance calls, however a balance needs to be struck between ensuring that consumers are adequately protected and also ensuring that the legitimate direct marketing industry can continue to operate. Our efforts are focused on taking action against companies that are deliberating break the rules, rather than penalising legitimate businesses who comply with the law.

  • Greg Mulholland – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    Greg Mulholland – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Greg Mulholland on 2016-07-19.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, how many businesses do not have access to high speed broadband in each region of England.

    Matt Hancock

    Superfast broadband with speeds of at least 24Mbps is now available to 90 per cent of UK premises and we are on track for this to reach 95 per cent by December 2017.

    We do not hold data at regional level or specifically for businesses. We hold information for all premises at constituency level and this was deposited with the Parliamentary Library in January 2016. You can access the deposited papers database here:

    http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/business-papers/commons/deposited-papers/?fd=2016-01-01&td=2016-01-31&search_term=Department+for+Culture%2c+Media+and+Sport&itemId=122028#toggle-56

    The Deposit reference is: DEP2016-0056

  • Kirsten Oswald – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Kirsten Oswald – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Kirsten Oswald on 2016-07-19.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, whether his Department has classified the armed conflict with Daesh as international or non-international.

    Mr Tobias Ellwood

    The United Kingdom is engaged in armed conflict against Daesh in Syria and Iraq which we have classified legally as non-international armed conflict, since Daesh is a non-State actor. We are however quite clear, as is the UN Security Council, that Daesh represent a threat to international peace and security.