Thursday Volume 618 15 December 2016 No. 82 HOUSE OF COMMONS OFFICIAL REPORT PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES (HANSARD) Thursday 15 December 2016 © Parliamentary Copyright House of Commons 2016 This publication may be reproduced under the terms of the Open Parliament licence, which is published at www.parliament.uk/site-information/copyright/. 933 15 DECEMBER 2016 934 constituents to make sure that they get a better signal. House of Commons The £1 billion announced in the autumn statement will help to get us there. Thursday 15 December 2016 Catherine McKinnell (Newcastle upon Tyne North) (Lab): Access to broadband is an issue not just for rural The House met at half-past Nine o’clock areas, but for areas such as Dinnington village, which lies on the edge of my constituency, and for new-build PRAYERS housing areas such as Newcastle Great Park, where capacity simply cannot keep up with demand for this vital service. How will the Government speed up delivery [MR SPEAKER in the Chair] to such areas? Matt Hancock: The hon. Lady asks a very good question. By 1 January—less than one month away—it Oral Answers to Questions will be a legal requirement to put superfast broadband into new housing developments. By the end of the programme that is under way, 98% of Newcastle, which CULTURE, MEDIA AND SPORT includes her constituency, will be covered for access to superfast broadband. I am sure she would want to welcome that. The Secretary of State was asked— Rural Broadband Neil Parish (Tiverton and Honiton) (Con): Percentages do not mean much to people who do not have broadband, and we just do not have it in many parts of my constituency. 1. Stephen Gethins (North East Fife) (SNP): What This affects not only residents, but businesses, such as progress has been made on rolling out broadband to the caravan parks that people will not now come to rural communities. [907912] unless there is broadband access. That is the problem. 10. Peter Aldous (Waveney) (Con): What progress her Department has made on improving broadband speed Matt Hancock: My hon. Friend is dead right that that is a problem. The universal service obligation is in rural areas. [907924] very important in making sure that everybody gets The Minister for Digital and Culture (Matt Hancock): decent access to broadband. In the past few years, that Superfast broadband is now available to over 90% of has changed from a “nice to have” to an absolute “must homes and businesses in the UK—up from 45% in have”, and we are delivering to make sure people have 2010—and is on track to reach 95% by the end of 2017. the connectivity they need. After that, we are bringing in a universal service obligation in the Digital Economy Bill. British Film Industry Stephen Gethins: The Minister will be aware that 2. Neil Carmichael (Stroud) (Con): What steps she is rural communities such as those in North East Fife, and taking to promote the British film industry. [907913] small businesses in particular, rely on broadband, and there are concerns that the current plans do not go far enough. Are there any plans to extend them further so The Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport that we can get faster speeds in rural communities? (Karen Bradley): The UK film industry is a great success story, contributing more than £4 billion a year to the Matt Hancock: Yes. The plan to bring in a universal economy and supporting nearly 70,000 full-time jobs. service obligation means just that: it is about making Last year, the Government invested £340 million through sure that superfast broadband is available to all. If the film tax relief, and nearly £70 million in grant in aid and SNP joined us in the Lobby to support the Digital national lottery funding through the British Film Institute. Economy Bill, which is currently passing through its remaining stages in the other place, we would be very Neil Carmichael: Like many of our creative industries, grateful. the British film industry is a fabulous success story. What plans does the Secretary of State have to make Peter Aldous: Superfast broadband is available across sure that it will still be an industry to celebrate post-Brexit, much of Waveney, but not spots remain, particularly in and will she be contributing to February’s White Paper rural areas. The roll-out of 5G could play an important on the future negotiations? role in plugging those gaps. I would be grateful if the Minister outlined his plans to fast-track this provision. Karen Bradley: My hon. Friend is absolutely right Will he consider some pilots in the Waveney area? about the success of the UK film industry. I am sure that many right hon. and hon. Members are planning Matt Hancock: My hon. Friend is a ceaseless champion over Christmas to enjoy the new “Star Wars” film, of better connectivity in Lowestoft and throughout which was made in Britain. Last week, I was in China to Suffolk. Connectivity is improving: there is a licence sign a co-production treaty, making us only the second obligation to cover 90% of the UK landmass by the end country in the world to have both film and TV treaties of next year. I am sure he will keep fighting for his with the Chinese. That is important because this is a 935 Oral Answers 15 DECEMBER 2016 Oral Answers 936 global industry—it relies not merely on the other 27 member Sexual Abuse in Sport states of the European Union, but on the whole world—and I want to make sure that it continues to be a success. 3. Sir Henry Bellingham (North West Norfolk) (Con): What steps her Department is taking to deal with Mr Barry Sheerman (Huddersfield) (Lab/Co-op): I historical allegations of child abuse in sport. [907914] was born in the shadow of Shepperton film studios and have long had links with the film industry, so may I urge the Secretary of State to do something about getting The Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport more apprentices into the film sector? Our great directors (Karen Bradley): The Government take these matters and many of our great actors left school at 14 or 15 and very seriously. Yesterday, I co-chaired a meeting with did apprenticeships. Today, too many people at the top my right hon. Friend the Home Secretary of sports are not very creative, because they all went to Eton. Will bodies, law enforcement and the National Society for she do something about getting ordinary kids into the the Prevention of Cruelty to Children to ensure that film industry again? sports are able to deal effectively with allegations of non-recent abuse and have the most robust possible Karen Bradley: I am incredibly proud of the creativity child protection processes in place today. of all our young people, no matter which school they went to. Perhaps that was an audition by the hon. Sir Henry Bellingham: The allegations that are under Gentleman, given his close links to film. He rightly investigation, which involve more than 100 clubs, are identifies that there are issues with apprenticeships in truly shocking, but does the Secretary of State agree the film industry because of the business model in that that the vast majority of coaches and volunteers in local industry, and particularly because there are so many sports clubs play a crucial role in our constituencies? freelancers and shorter-term contracts. We are working Does she also agree that it is vital that we do not put off with the Department for Education to make sure we or discourage potential volunteers who would never have the right apprenticeships so that young people can dream of betraying the trust that was placed in them? get the skills they need to succeed in the global success that is the British film industry. Karen Bradley: I agree with my hon. Friend. We want to ensure that parents and young people have the confidence Mr Philip Hollobone (Kettering) (Con): With part of to participate in sport. We need to know what happened. “Les Misérables”filmed at Boughton House near Kettering We need to make sure that the victims come forward, and Keira Knightley’s “Pride & Prejudice” filmed at that the police have time to carry out the investigations Weekley village just outside the town, what more are the and that there is confidence in the system. The roundtable Government doing to encourage filmmakers to use that I co-chaired yesterday was incredibly helpful in historic sites in the great British countryside for their flushing out where we can do more, because we can films? always do more, and in giving reassurance that much is being done. Karen Bradley: I want to see the great British countryside used as the location for great British films. It is fantastic 11. [907925] Mr Clive Betts (Sheffield South East) (Lab): that Kettering has been such a hotbed. I am pleased I am sure that we are all appalled by the allegations of that a number of films have been made in the Peak horrific abuse that have come out in recent weeks, which district, including in the Staffordshire moorlands. I want have besmirched the game that many of us love so to see more of them; they are very welcome. much. We are aware of the helpline that is available so that people can phone up and relate what happened to Mr Speaker: Surely the decision for the filming to them. Has the Secretary of State had conversations take place in the constituency of the hon.