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Thursday Volume 569 31 October 2013 No. 67 HOUSE OF COMMONS OFFICIAL REPORT PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES (HANSARD) Thursday 31 October 2013 £5·00 © Parliamentary Copyright House of Commons 2013 This publication may be reproduced under the terms of the Open Parliament licence, which is published at www.parliament.uk/site-information/copyright/. 1053 31 OCTOBER 2013 1054 John Glen: I thank the Minister for that answer, but House of Commons what do I say to the local authority and residents in villages such as Pitton who believe they are in the percentage that will not qualify for the imminent roll-out Thursday 31 October 2013 through the BT deal? They want to be free to develop new community-based solutions with alternative providers, The House met at half-past Nine o’clock as they anticipate they will not get anything from BT for a long time. PRAYERS Mr Vaizey: I am happy to meet my hon. Friend to discuss any issues. The rural community broadband fund is designed to support community broadband [MR SPEAKER in the Chair] projects that the programme is not reaching. Chris Bryant (Rhondda) (Lab): This is not just an Oral Answers to Questions issue for rural areas. Semi-rural areas often fall between two stools. It is difficult for people to get broadband to their home, either because they are too far from the final mile or because the bung that has been given to CULTURE, MEDIA AND SPORT BT, to roll this out across the country and make it almost impossible for anybody else to compete, has made it difficult for other operators to get into areas The Secretary of State for Culture Olympics, Media such as the Rhondda. and Sport was asked— Broadband (Scotland) Mr Vaizey: BT has not been given a bung. BT is a partner in the project that is delivering superfast broadband 1. Mr Alan Reid (Argyll and Bute) (LD): What recent to 90% of the country, and we have found additional discussions she has had with the Scottish Government money to reach 95% of the country by 2017. The on broadband coverage in Scotland. [900813] programme is going extremely well. The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Culture, Miss Anne McIntosh (Thirsk and Malton) (Con): Media and Sport (Mr Edward Vaizey): My Department What will my hon. Friend say to the 5% of those living and the Scotland Office have had regular discussions in the hills, particularly farmers, who will not have with the Scottish Government on broadband coverage access to superfast broadband by 2016? Will he implement in Scotland, including on the delivery of two projects the Select Committee report recommendation that they for the highlands and islands and for the rest of Scotland. be given advance warning, so they can make alternative These projects will make superfast broadband available arrangements to those on offer from BT? to more than 670,000 homes and businesses. Mr Vaizey: As I have said repeatedly, it is up to local Mr Reid: I thank the Minister for that answer, but authorities to publish their local broadband plans and approximately 17% of the homes in Argyll and Bute I am delighted, particularly after the Secretary of State will not receive next generation broadband from the BT wrote to them, that many have now done so. People in contract to lay fibre-optic cables. More innovative solutions Wiltshire and Yorkshire will know where the project is are needed to deliver next generation broadband throughout rolling out. the highlands and islands. Will my hon. Friend work with the Scottish Government to come up with innovative solutions, so that all the homes in Argyll and Bute can Mr Philip Hollobone (Kettering) (Con): It seems to have access to next generation broadband? me that BT is a big company that sometimes does not treat small communities very well. May I draw to the Mr Vaizey: I will certainly do that. I am sure my hon. attention of the Minister the village of Rushden in my Friend will welcome the additional £250 million that constituency, where residents are complaining that they has been found to take superfast broadband coverage to are not getting the proper broadband access they deserve, 95% by 2017. despite their best efforts with BT? Rural Broadband Mr Vaizey: I hear what my hon. Friend says. BT is a big global company that we should be proud of, but 2. John Glen (Salisbury) (Con): What progress her from time to time issues will be raised by our constituents. Department has made in rolling out rural broadband. I am happy to meet him to discuss the problem in detail. [900814] Press Regulation The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport (Mr Edward Vaizey): Forty two local broadband projects have now agreed contracts and are 3. Sir Tony Baldry (Banbury) (Con): What plans she in implementation, and we are now passing approximately has in place if newspaper proprietors do not sign up to 10,000 premises every week. We have made a huge the Privy Council’s royal charter for regulating the amount of progress. press. [900816] 1055 Oral Answers31 OCTOBER 2013 Oral Answers 1056 The Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport to Lord Justice Leveson of innocent people suffering as (Maria Miller): All sides support self-regulation of the a result of press abuse, and it is almost a year since he press. The royal charter sets out the principles for produced his report, so a proper complaints system that self-regulators if they wish to be recognised and take does not infringe the freedom of the press and that is advantage of costs and damages incentives. The choice truly independent of the press and politicians is long to sign up lies with the industry. overdue. Does the right hon. Lady agree that the press have nothing to fear from an independent complaints Sir Tony Baldry: I am grateful to my right hon. system? Will she join me in encouraging the industry to Friend for that answer. We are here because Lord Justice establish a genuinely independent self-regulator and put Leveson said that he wanted a new voluntary code from it forward for recognition? the press that had statutory underpinning. The press have come forward with a new draft code that does not Maria Miller: I thank the right hon. and learned have statutory underpinning and the Privy Council has Lady for her kind sentiments. It is also important to come forward with a code that appears not to have press place on record that the press are making good progress support. Would it not be helpful if Lord Justice Leveson on setting up a self-regulator. They have already issued gave us all a steer on what he thinks should happen papers and are well into the necessary negotiations. now? Perhaps I could ask her a further question. Will she join me in staving off any form of pressure for statutory Maria Miller: I will, of course, leave it to Lord Justice regulation of the press, because it is clear that some are Leveson to speak for himself on whether he wants to still trying to use that as a threat? contribute further to the debate, but I can say clearly to my hon. Friend that the essence of the Leveson report Mr Speaker: We will treat that as a rhetorical question, was self-regulation. I believe that we now have a way because questions are put to Ministers, rather than forward that will safeguard the freedom of the press asked by them. and provide a good system of redress when errors are made. It is important to make the royal charter work; it is the best way to stave off the statutory regulation of Mr John Whittingdale (Maldon) (Con): I endorse the the press that some are trying to impose. view of my colleague on the Select Committee, the hon. Member for Newcastle-under-Lyme (Paul Farrelly), that Paul Farrelly (Newcastle-under-Lyme) (Lab): Regarding there is no serious justification for saying that the royal the royal charter, one of the more belligerent newspapers charter marks the end of press freedom. Will the Secretary is running a piece today under the headline, “Approved of State accept, however, that the ability of Parliament behind closed doors, curbs that end three centuries of to have a say on the rules under which the press regulator Press freedom”. For the benefit of that newspaper’s operates—even with a requirement for a two-thirds poor readers, would the Secretary of State care to majority, which, as she knows, has no constitutional comment on the accuracy of that headline? validity—allows that claim to be made? If it is that provision that is preventing some newspapers from joining, will she now, even at this late stage, consider alternative Maria Miller: We have had a great deal of debate on safeguards such as the one in the PressBoF charter? the self-regulation of the press, through the Leveson inquiry and through the 11 subsequent debates in this House and the other place. The important thing is that Maria Miller: My hon. Friend is right to say that we make this work for the industry and for people who safeguarding that freedom and ensuring that there is no are seeking redress. political interference in the system are absolutely critical. That is why I was keen to make the further change to Sir Gerald Howarth (Aldershot) (Con): I congratulate ensure that any changes would require not only to a my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State, the Prime two-thirds majority here and in the other place but the Minister and all those involved in the difficult business overwhelming support of the regulatory body.