The below Parliamentary question was asked by Drew Hendry on 2016-10-19.
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, when his Department plans to review the levels of VAT paid by tourism and hospitality businesses.
Jane Ellison
The Government keeps all taxes under review, although there are no current plans to review the levels of VAT paid by tourism and hospitality businesses.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Drew Hendry on 2016-01-26.
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what preparations the Government is making for the auction of 5G spectrum.
Mr Edward Vaizey
Ofcom takes independent decisions on how to assign spectrum. The Government is making spectrum available – including future 5G – through its programme of public sector spectrum release.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Drew Hendry on 2016-09-06.
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what support her Department provides to rural communities to install their own fibre networks when commercial and other Government programmes have been unable to reach their premises.
Matt Hancock
Through the Government’s investment of over £780 million, superfast broadband is now available to over 90% of homes and businesses in the UK, compared to 45% in 2010. By the end of 2017 it will be available to 95% of homes and businesses. The Government welcomes initiatives taken by local communities and others to support community fibre broadband projects.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Drew Hendry on 2016-10-19.
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, when his Department plans to review the VAT threshold.
Jane Ellison
The Government keeps all tax rates and thresholds under review.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Drew Hendry on 2016-01-26.
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, for what reasons the universal service obligation for broadband was set at 10mb; and if he will make it his policy to increase the minimum universal service requirements to reflect higher levels set in other European countries.
Mr Edward Vaizey
The Prime Minister’s announcement of the Government’s intention to implement a new broadband Universal Service Obligation (USO) and our ambition to set this at 10Mbps, followed assessments of consumers’ broadband needs from a range of sources, including Ofcom’s annual infrastructure reports. This new broadband USO will give people the legal right to request an affordable broadband connection, at a minimum speed, up to a reasonable cost threshold, no matter where they live.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Drew Hendry on 2016-09-06.
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what recent review her Department has made of the regulatory framework for the provision of subtitles for on-demand services.
Matt Hancock
In 2015 the then regulator for video on demand services, the Authority for Television on Demand (ATVOD), published its Provision of Video on Demand Access Services Report. The Department analysed the findings of this report, and met with platform operators, content providers and broadcasters to review the provision of such services. The Department has asked broadcasters, content providers and platform operators for a progress update in Spring 2017.
Ofcom is the regulator with responsibility for on-demand programme services (ODPS). Ofcom are presently consulting on how to improve access services and ensure that providers see broadcast and ODPS accessibility as equally important.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Drew Hendry on 2016-10-19.
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, whether her Department has made an assessment of the potential merits of establishing a statutory social tariff for broadband services.
Matt Hancock
We are committed to introducing a new broadband Universal Service Obligation (USO) within this Parliament. The USO will give households and businesses the legal right to request a broadband connection with speeds of at least 10 Megabits, no matter where they live or work.
Ofcom are preparing advice and recommendations for Government on the design of the broadband USO, and we have asked them specifically to consider a social tariff to make sure it is affordable for all. Ofcom will report on its findings by the end of the year and we will consider them as part of our decision.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Drew Hendry on 2015-10-28.
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, if he will estimate the cost to businesses of inconsistent broadband coverage in the last 12 months.
Mr Edward Vaizey
Access to broadband is of vital importance to small businesses, which is why the Government-funded Broadband Connection Voucher Scheme has provided over 50,000 small and medium sized enterprises with access to high speed broadband.83 per cent of homes and businesses already have access to superfast broadband services, and thanks to the Government’s investment in the superfast broadband rollout. This is set to rise to 95 per cent by the end of 2017.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Drew Hendry on 2016-01-26.
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that all areas of the UK benefit from the award of 2.3 and 3.4 GHz spectrum bands.
Mr Edward Vaizey
The 2.3 and 3.4 GHz spectrum bands are being made available across the UK as part of the Government’s programme of public sector spectrum release. Ofcom takes independent decisions on how to assign spectrum, including whether and how to auction it and the conditions of licences granted. The licence obligation on Telefonica together with the Government’s 2014 agreement with mobile network operators means that by the end of 2017 95% of premises in Scotland will have indoor 4G coverage and complete not-spots for voice and SMS text will halve.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Drew Hendry on 2016-09-06.
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, whether her Department plans to bring forward legislative proposals to prohibit the imposition of broadband service cessation fees by providers who are unable to provide customers with adequate service.
Matt Hancock
Most major broadband providers have signed up to Ofcom’s Residential Broadband Speeds Code of Practice. This requires providers to give new customers, or customers who have changed their service, information on their guaranteed minimum speed. If a customer cannot get this guaranteed access line speed and providers are unable to resolve the problem, the Code states that providers must allow customers to leave their contract without penalty.