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Tag: Daniel Kawczynski

  • Daniel Kawczynski – 2023 Parliamentary Question on Broadband Coverage in Rural Areas

    Daniel Kawczynski – 2023 Parliamentary Question on Broadband Coverage in Rural Areas

    The parliamentary question asked by Daniel Kawczynski, the Conservative MP for Shrewsbury and Atcham, in the House of Commons on 26 January 2023.

    Daniel Kawczynski (Shrewsbury and Atcham) (Con)

    What progress her Department has made on expanding broadband coverage in rural areas.

    Selaine Saxby (North Devon) (Con)

    What progress her Department has made on expanding broadband coverage in rural areas.

    The Minister of State, Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (Julia Lopez)

    I wish to echo your words about the Holocaust Memorial Day Trust’s important work, Mr Speaker.

    We are investing £5 billion through Project Gigabit to deliver lightning-fast broadband to hard-to-reach areas across our country. Last week, we announced that thousands of people living in rural Cornwall will benefit from a £36 million contract. We have now awarded six such contracts, covering up to 681,000 premises. More procurements are in the pipeline and we have also upped our voucher scheme so that more premises can benefit.

    Daniel Kawczynski

    I thank my hon. Friend for that answer. Obviously, I am delighted that last week we secured nearly £19 million from the levelling-up fund for Shrewsbury town centre, but we will never really have levelling up across the whole of the United Kingdom unless rural parts of our constituencies have broadband coverage commensurate with metropolitan areas in coverage and speed. What is she doing specifically to make sure that improvements are made in the county of Shropshire?

    Julia Lopez

    My hon. Friend is right to talk about the importance of digital connectivity to the whole levelling-up agenda, which is why we are prioritising our procurement to some of the really tough-to-reach parts of the country that have been poorly served by broadband previously. I know that he has been campaigning hard on these issues since 2015. He has good superfast coverage now in his constituency, but I appreciate that gigabit is not where it should be in his county. I am pleased to say that our Mid West Shropshire procurement is going to be awarded in April to June this year, and I hope that his constituents will benefit from that.

    Selaine Saxby

    The roll-out of rural broadband has made great progress in the past three years. Will my hon. Friend outline when the new framework and guidance for fibre community partnerships and the gigabit roll-out will be available, so that the roll-out can continue at pace across North Devon?

    Julia Lopez

    I thank my hon. Friend, because the progress has been substantial and she has been a key part of that by making sure that political pressure is maintained to get this kind of connectivity to places such as her constituency. On the fibre community partnerships, Openreach temporarily paused the registration while the supplier worked through the current requests. We have been working closely with Openreach to assist its review of that scheme. We hope it will be reopening it as soon as possible, but she will be pleased to hear that we are also on track to launch the Devon and Somerset procurements in April. Again, I hope that her constituents will stand to benefit from that.

    Drew Hendry (Inverness, Nairn, Badenoch and Strathspey) (SNP)

    I recently met people from CityFibre in my constituency to celebrate the roll-out of full fibre in Inverness. CityFibre is now moving into the rural areas, and it has taken the full fibre coverage from 0.8% to 60%. What steps is the Minister taking to ensure that companies such as CityFibre, working in partnership with local councils and others, can continue to operate in this market as there is this competition, and that they have the ability to operate in and expand into rural areas?

    Julia Lopez

    I thank the hon. Gentleman for his constructive intervention and question. CityFibre been fundamental in driving stiff competition in this area, which has really accelerated the roll-out. We thank CityFibre and other altnets and providers for all the work they are doing. We absolutely prioritise having a competitive framework, because we think it has been so crucial to making sure that areas such as his are covered.

    Angus Brendan MacNeil (Na h-Eileanan an Iar) (SNP)

    As has been said, if levelling up is to mean anything, it would mean it in broadband. Often, what is needed is just a green cabinet and small amounts of money for rural areas. What confidence can people have that the Government will act in this Parliament? Other countries with a much worse topography have seen their rural areas get broadband years ago. What confidence can people have that the UK is going to act in the next two years—in this Parliament?

    Julia Lopez

    I am always grateful to hear from the hon. Gentleman. I know that his constituency is a very rural one with an island population, which creates particular challenges. Much of the broadband roll-out is being driven by the Scottish Government. Their R100 programme has had some problems, and I have spoken to Ivan McKee about how we can assist with those. We are keeping a very close eye on the matter, because we want to make sure that every part of our country is covered by this connectivity and is not disadvantaged by some of the local ways in which the projects are being managed.

    Esther McVey (Tatton) (Con)

    The Gigabit Broadband Voucher Scheme is not working as intended in the smaller rural villages of Tatton. The community groups have found that the scope of the local authority contract includes commercially viable areas, but excludes the remote areas. I thank the Minister for being very helpful, but, ironically, the more work that we did, the more we exposed the weaknesses. Will she meet me, representatives of Lower Peover and Building Digital UK to solve the issue?

    Julia Lopez

    I thank my right hon. Friend for all the work that she has done to make sure that Cheshire is connected. I have looked at the issues of Lower Peover. In particular, she highlights challenges with the voucher scheme. I want to assure her that we have upped the amount that can be claimed to £1,500 per premises. I am always happy to meet hon. Members on these issues, but I also hold BDUK surgeries regularly, so please book in for those, but, of course, I will meet her personally to discuss this.

    Jim Shannon (Strangford) (DUP)

    I thank the Minister for her answers and for the help that the central Government at Westminster give to Northern Ireland for rural broadband. One issue is banking, online shopping and postal services. Has the Minister had the opportunity to assess how, in relation to rural broadband, these things impact on banking services in rural areas? We are moving forward to new technology and new times. We need help.

    Julia Lopez

    The hon. Gentleman highlights just how important good connectivity is to accessing all the services that are going online. One great thing about Northern Ireland is some of the progress that it has made on gigabit connectivity from its contract with Fibrus, and we thank Fibrus for all that it has done. I am happy to look into any of the issues that he raises, but, as I have said, he highlights very well just why it is so important that people do have that connectivity.

    Mr Speaker

    I call the shadow Minister.

    Stephanie Peacock (Barnsley East) (Lab)

    Thank you, Mr Speaker. I wish to begin by echoing your words about Holocaust Memorial Day.

    From April, families across the country will face a 14% rise to their broadband bills, but, even before that increase, there were already more than 1 million households struggling to pay for the internet. Expanding gigabit coverage is vital, but it is pointless if families cannot afford a broadband package. How will the Department work with Ofcom to examine the impact of mid-contract price increases and wholesale prices rising by inflation?

    Julia Lopez

    I thank the hon. Lady for her question. She is right to highlight the cost of living challenges that are affecting so many households. We have worked hard on this. It is important that we have a stable regulatory framework that allows companies to invest, but we have hitherto had some of the most competitive telecoms prices in Europe and consumers have benefited from that. In relation to those who are really struggling with their bills, we have done a lot of work with telecoms providers on social tariffs. Unfortunately, the uptake of those tariffs is not where it should be, so I ask every Member of this House to help us raise awareness, because their constituents can get deals from as little as £10 a month. Trying to get them that connectivity is so important to people’s job chances, life chances and so on.

  • Daniel Kawczynski – 2023 Parliamentary Question on the Holocaust Memorial Day in Schools

    Daniel Kawczynski – 2023 Parliamentary Question on the Holocaust Memorial Day in Schools

    The parliamentary question asked by Daniel Kawczynski, the Conservative MP for Shrewsbury and Atcham, in the House of Commons on 16 January 2023.

    Daniel Kawczynski (Shrewsbury and Atcham) (Con)

    What steps her Department is taking to commemorate Holocaust Memorial Day in schools.

    The Minister of State, Department for Education (Robert Halfon)

    Many schools and colleges already mark Holocaust Memorial Day—I have attended such a remembrance service at Harlow College—and they work closely with the Holocaust Memorial Day Trust and the Holocaust Educational Trust, two institutions that the Government support. That is all the more important given the 128 incidents of antisemitism in one year in our higher education institutions, and the fact that, sadly, such incidents are now at an all-time high.

    Daniel Kawczynski

    As well as educating children about the horrors of the holocaust and the second world war, can we take the opportunity to educate children about the tremendous courage, bravery and sacrifices of the Righteous Among the Nations? Many people on the continent gave up their lives to protect their Jewish friends and neighbours. One example was a member of my family, Jan Kawczynski, his wife Helena and their 13-year-old daughter Magdalena, who were all shot by the Germans for protecting and hiding their Jewish friends and neighbours on their estate in western Poland. As well as educating children about the misery of the holocaust, we must give them inspiration from the fact that many of our brothers and sisters in occupied Europe made the ultimate sacrifice to protect friends and neighbours of the Jewish faith.

    Robert Halfon

    Hear, hear. It was very moving to hear of the experience of my hon. Friend’s family, and I entirely agree with him: we must teach and remind people that there were many righteous Gentiles who suffered while doing everything possible to save Jews. A famous Polish lady, Irena Sendler, saved 2,000 Jewish children from the Warsaw ghettos, and was remembered in a special exhibition in the House of Commons in 2018, which I was pleased to attend. My hon. Friend has made a powerful point, and I am sure that schools up and down the country will be listening to what he says.

  • Daniel Kawczynski – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Wales Office

    Daniel Kawczynski – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Wales Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Daniel Kawczynski on 2016-01-04.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, if his Department will work with the Welsh Government to ensure that the views of people in England affected by Welsh rail franchises are considered during the next franchise sale process.

    Alun Cairns

    We have an agreement in principle with the Welsh Government that executive franchising functions will be transferred to Welsh Ministers to enable them to lead on the procurement, management and enforcement of the next Wales and Borders franchise. To ensure proper accountability for passengers in England, it is expected that services primarily serving English markets will be remapped into other Department for Transport franchises and we will consult on specific proposals in due course.

    My officials, along with those from the Department for Transport, are working closely with the Welsh Government to reach final agreement on these matters to ensure that the interests of rail passengers on both sides of the border are fully protected.

  • Daniel Kawczynski – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Daniel Kawczynski – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Daniel Kawczynski on 2016-02-22.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment his Department has made of the effect on stakeholders of the proposed changes to entrepreneurial tax relief.

    Mr David Gauke

    The Government announced at Autumn Statement 2015 that it will consider bringing forward legislation to amend the changes made by Finance Act 2015 to entrepreneurs’ relief, in order to support businesses by ensuring that the relief is available on certain genuine commercial transactions. Changes to taxation are announced by the Chancellor at the Budget and the effect of changes are published in a Tax Information and Impact Note.

  • Daniel Kawczynski – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Daniel Kawczynski – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Daniel Kawczynski on 2016-04-18.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many schools in Shropshire have been converted into academies.

    Edward Timpson

    Twenty-five schools in Shropshire have been converted into academies. This information is publically available on GOV.UK at: http://www.education.gov.uk/schools/performance/index.html

    “

  • Daniel Kawczynski – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Daniel Kawczynski – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Daniel Kawczynski on 2016-10-07.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what fiscal steps his Department is taking to encourage the exploration of natural gas in the North Sea.

    Jane Ellison

    To support exploration activity, the Government has significantly cut tax rates for the oil and gas sector and introduced the Investment and Cluster Area Allowances to reduce the effective rate of tax paid by producers. Lower tax rates will encourage exploration by improving the economics of new discoveries.

    Over the last two years the Government has also funded a £40 million programme of seismic surveys. This will boost offshore exploration in under-explored areas of the UK Continental Shelf.

  • Daniel Kawczynski – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    Daniel Kawczynski – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Daniel Kawczynski on 2016-01-04.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, whether his Department plans a second round of Growth Deals for Local Enterprise Partnerships.

    James Wharton

    Through Growth Deals agreed to date with each of the 39 Local Enterprise Partnerships, £7.7billion of Local Growth Fund has been awarded from 2015-16 to 2020-21. The recent Spending Review re-confirmed the Government’s commitment to a £12 billion Local Growth Fund between 2015-16 and 2020-21 and that Local Enterprise Partnerships will continue to receive core funding from the Government to deliver growth in their communities. We will be announcing further details on the Local Growth Fund in due course.

  • Daniel Kawczynski – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Daniel Kawczynski – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Daniel Kawczynski on 2016-02-22.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what work his Department is undertaking to assist small and medium-sized enterprises in the construction industry to expand and create more jobs.

    Nick Boles

    The Government is working to help all construction companies to expand and create jobs. At the Spending Review the housing budget was doubled to over £2 billion per year, and the Chancellor also committed to £100 billion of spending in this Parliament for new roads, rail, flood defences and other vital projects.

    We are making sure that small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) have access to government contract opportunities, making it easier for them to do business with us. We are requiring departments to publish details of future projects on the “contracts finder” website, giving businesses the confidence and time to invest in relevant skills, labour and capabilities.

    Access to finance can be a barrier to growth. There is a range of support and assistance available through the Business Support Helpline. The British Business Bank is a government-owned business development bank dedicated to making finance markets work better for smaller businesses, through schemes such as the Enterprise Finance Guarantee (EFG). The British Business Bank promotes the EFG to high street lenders to encourage them to lend to viable smaller businesses that would otherwise be declined for lacking adequate security.

    More widely the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills’ red tape challenge programmes are targeting rules and regulations in the construction sector. Many of those red tape requirements fall disproportionately heavily on smaller construction employers.

    In addition the Government is placing employers, including small businesses, in the lead in developing new apprenticeship standards and providing financial support. Specific grants are available for smaller businesses and for younger apprentices. In addition there is a range of support for all approved learning outcomes available from the Construction Industry Training Board.

  • Daniel Kawczynski – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Daniel Kawczynski – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Daniel Kawczynski on 2016-04-29.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent steps his Department has taken to help achieve a two-state solution that is acceptable to the people of both Israel and Palestine.

    Mr Tobias Ellwood

    We remain focused on steps which will secure progress towards a two-state solution. We continue to believe that the best way to achieve this is through negotiations. We are in close consultation with international partners about what kind of renewed process might lead to progress. We continue to press both sides on the need to refrain from taking any action which takes us further away from securing a lasting peace. We believe that if both parties show the bold leadership and political strength necessary to find a way forward, a two-state solution remains possible.

  • Daniel Kawczynski – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Daniel Kawczynski – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Daniel Kawczynski on 2016-10-07.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what discussions he has had with his Dutch counterpart on the efforts of the Royal Netherlands Army to (a) identify and (b) mark the grave of Private Gilbert Anderson of the 11th Parachute Battalion who was killed in action on 20 September 1944.

    Mark Lancaster

    The Department is aware of the case surrounding the potential rededication of the grave for Private Anderson, but the case has not been passed to the Ministry of Defence to manage.