Written Answers to Questions
Friday 3 July 2009
Business, Innovation and Skills
Broadband
Mr. Fabian Hamilton: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (1) what steps the Government plan to take to ensure universal availability of broadband access in the UK; [280044]
(2) what steps he plans to take to assist households in the UK which cannot access broadband services. [280045]
Mr. McFadden: The Digital Britain Final Report, published on 16 June, set out the Government’s plans to provide a Universal Service Commitment for broadband at a speed of 2Mbps, and the Government will invest approximately £200 million of public funds to support this. The Government will establish an arm’s length body, the Network Design and Procurement Group, who will be responsible for the procurement and delivery of this commitment.
Mr. Fabian Hamilton: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills how much his Department has allocated for the roll-out of high-speed broadband in the next three years. [280046]
Mr. McFadden: This Department has not allocated central funding for expansion of high-speed broadband in the next three years. The Digital Britain Final Report, published on 16 June, set out the Government’s plans to ensure the delivery of high-speed broadband which includes a 50p levy per month on all fixed telephone lines to create a Next General Fund to ensure that high speed broadband reaches the Final third of the country that the market alone will not deliver to.
Mr. Evans: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills what estimate he has made of the likely effect on (a) gross domestic product per capita and (b) average personal income of connecting all rural households to broadband internet at a speed of at least 2Mbps in each of the next five years. [281744]
Mr. McFadden [holding answer 24 June 2009]: Rural households connected to broadband speeds of at least 2Mbps can expect to benefit from improved access to public and government services offered online. They will also benefit from the opportunity to access a wider range of goods and services than before, some of which may not be available in the high street, and at potentially lower prices. Further, connection to 2Mbps broadband will help to reduce the risk to rural households of social exclusion.
The Department is committed to publishing a full impact assessment containing estimates of the expected costs and benefits once the procurement process has taken place.
Broadband: East of England
Nadine Dorries: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills how many companies offered high-speed broadband services to households in (a) Mid Bedfordshire and (b) the East of England in each year since 1997. [278579]
Mr. McFadden: This Department does not hold records in regard to the number of companies which offer high-speed broadband services in (a) Mid Bedfordshire and (b) the Eastern region in each year since 1997.
Nadine Dorries: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills how much funding his Department has allocated for expansion of high-speed broadband usage in (a) Mid Bedfordshire and (b) the East of England since 1997. [278580]
Mr. McFadden: This Department has not allocated central funding for expansion of high-speed broadband usage in (a) Mid Bedfordshire and (b) the Eastern region since 1997.
As the hon. Member may already be aware, in the Budget on 22 April the Chancellor confirmed the Government’s commitment to delivering a universal service for broadband at a speed of 2 megabits per second, by no later than 2012. In the Digital Britain report, we will set out in greater detail our plan of how the universal service commitment might work and we will be publishing the report very shortly.
Nadine Dorries: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills what steps his Department has taken to ensure competition among high-speed broadband providers in Mid Bedfordshire. [278581]
Mr. McFadden: This Department has made no recent steps to ensure competitiveness among high-speed broadband providers specifically in Mid Bedfordshire. However, through Ofcom, the Government have ensured that the majority of consumers across the country benefit from competition in the broadband market by ensuring wholesale access to the BT Openreach network, and the Local Loop Unbundling of BT Exchanges.
Nadine Dorries: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills how many households in (a) Mid Bedfordshire and (b) the East of England had access to high-speed broadband services in each year since 1997. [278608]
Mr. McFadden: The matter raised is the responsibility of the independent regulator, the Office of Communications (Ofcom), which is accountable to Parliament rather than Ministers. Accordingly, i have asked the chief executive of Ofcom to reply directly to the hon. Member. Copies of the chief executive's letter will be placed in both the Libraries of the House.
Broadband: Essex
Bob Spink: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills how many households in (a) Essex and (b) Castle Point have had access to high-speed broadband services in each year since 1997. [279336]
Mr. McFadden: The matter raised is the responsibility of the independent regulator, the Office of Communications (Ofcom), which is accountable to Parliament rather than Ministers. Accordingly, I have asked the chief executive of Ofcom to reply directly to the hon. Member. Copies of the chief executive’s letter will be placed in the Libraries of both Houses.
Bob Spink: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills how many companies offered high-speed broadband services to households in (a) Essex and (b) Castle Point in each year since 1997. [279338]
Mr. McFadden: This Department does not hold records in regard to the numbers of companies which offer high speed broadband services in Essex and Castle Point in each year since 1997.
Broadband: Merseyside
Mrs. Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills how many companies offered high-speed broadband services to households in (a) Crosby and (b) Merseyside in each year since 1997. [278895]
Mr. McFadden: This Department does not hold records in regard to the number of companies which offer high-speed broadband usage in (a) Crosby and (b) Merseyside in each year since 1997.
Broadband: Milton Keynes
Mr. Lancaster: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills what estimate he has made of the number of households in Milton Keynes which do not have access to high-speed broadband. [279659]
Mr. McFadden: The matter raised is the responsibility of the independent regulator, the Office of Communications (Ofcom), which is accountable to Parliament rather than Ministers. Accordingly, I have asked the chief executive of Ofcom to reply directly to the hon. Member. Copies of the chief executive’s letter will be placed in the Libraries of both Houses.
Mr. Lancaster: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills how much funding the Government has allocated for expansion of high-speed broadband usage in Milton Keynes. [279738]
Mr. McFadden:
This Department has not allocated central funding for expansion of high-speed broadband to Milton Keynes. The Digital Britain Final Report, published on 16 June, set out the Government’s plans to ensure the delivery of high-speed broadband which
includes a 50p levy per month on all fixed telephone lines to create a Next Generation Fund to ensure that high-speed broadband reaches the final third of the country that the market alone will not deliver to.
Broadband: Rural Areas
Mr. McLoughlin: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills what estimate he has made of the number of people living in remote rural areas who have access to broadband. [279649]
Mr. McFadden: The matter raised is the responsibility of the independent regulator, the Office of Communications (Ofcom), which is accountable to Parliament rather than Ministers. Accordingly, I have asked the chief executive of Ofcom to reply directly to the hon. Member. Copies of the chief executive's letter will be placed in the Libraries of both Houses.
Business: Government Assistance
Mr. Hoban: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (1) what estimate he has made of the number of businesses taking out loans under the (a) Working Capital and (b) Enterprise Finance Guarantee scheme in the next 12 months; [252243]
(2) how many loans he estimates will be taken out under the Enterprise Finance Guarantee Scheme in the next 12 months; and what estimate he has made of the average value of such loans. [252245]
Ms Rosie Winterton: The Enterprise Finance Guarantee, Capital for Enterprise Fund and the Working Capital Scheme were announced under the Real Help with Finance package on 14 January.
Since its launch on 14 January, the Enterprise Finance Guarantee has nearly £495 million of eligible applications from 4,420 firms that have been granted, are being processed or assessed.
With respect to £75 million "Capital for Enterprise" equity scheme the appointed fund managers have received serious proposals seeking a total of around £100 million of investment.
The appointed fund managers have so far made offers totalling nearly £11 million to eight businesses. Three businesses have accepted the terms of the funding offered with a total value of £2.4 million. The fund managers are continuing due diligence on the further proposals that have been put forward.
The Working Capital Scheme is not available directly to businesses. The scheme enables participating banks to increase the amount of working capital they can make available to businesses.
Mr. Amess: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills how many businesses in Southend-on-Sea have (a) applied for and (b) received assistance from the (i) Enterprise Finance Guarantee Scheme and (ii) Capital for Enterprise Fund in 2009; and how much funding has been provided to businesses in Southend-on-Sea under each such scheme in 2009 to date. [280979]
Ms Rosie Winterton: The Department records information on the Enterprise Finance Guarantee and Capital for Enterprise Fund on a regional basis, including the East of England. It does not hold the information at the level requested and it could only be provided at disproportionate cost.
Set out in the tables is the information for East of England since the launch of the Enterprise Finance Guarantee and Capital for Enterprise Fund on 14 January:
| Enterprise Finance Guarantee | ||
| Number | Value (£ million) | |
| Capital for Enterprise Fund | |
The fund managers are continuing due diligence on the proposals that have been put forward.
Mr. Stewart Jackson: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills how many businesses in Peterborough have (a) applied for and (b) received assistance from the (i) Enterprise Finance Guarantee scheme and (ii) Capital for Enterprise Fund in 2009; and how much funding has been provided to businesses in Peterborough under each such scheme in 2009. [281719]
Ms Rosie Winterton: The Department records information on the Enterprise Finance Guarantee and Capital for Enterprise Fund on a regional basis, including the East of England. It does not hold the information at the level you request and it could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
Set out in the following tables is the information for East of England since the launch of the Enterprise Finance Guarantee and Capital for Enterprise Fund on 14 January:
| Enterprise Finance Guarantee | ||
| Number | Value (£ million) | |
| Capital for Enterprise Fund | |
The fund managers are continuing due diligence on the proposals that have been put forward.
Cabinet: Glasgow
Mr. MacNeil: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills what car journeys were taken by the Secretary of State in attending the Cabinet meeting in Glasgow on 16 April 2009. [273970]
Mr. McFadden: For information relating to the Cabinet and public engagement event held in Glasgow on 16 April I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister on Wednesday 3 June 2009, Official Report, column 487W.
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