Meetings

NDM7180 Debate: Digital Connectivity

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Meeting: 12/11/2019 - Plenary - Fifth Senedd (Item 9)

Debate: Digital Connectivity

NDM7180 - Rebecca Evans (Gower)

To propose that the National Assembly for Wales:

1. Recognises the work undertaken by the Welsh Government since 2012 to improve digital connectivity across Wales through the Superfast Cymru programme, with 733,000 premises now having access to fast fibre broadband.

2. Notes that the Welsh Government has undertaken this work in a non-devolved area owing to the failure of the UK Government at that time to sufficiently invest where the commercial market would not provide.

3. Calls on the UK Government to fulfil its responsibilities and invest in gigabit-capable broadband that meets the needs of homes and businesses in Wales ensuring that:

a) funding reflects the challenges of deploying digital infrastructure in Wales;

b) delivery takes an ‘outside-in’ approach providing connectivity to those premises in rural and very rural areas; and

c) connectivity is provided first to those premises which cannot receive fast broadband.

The following amendments have been tabled:

Amendment 1 - Darren Millar (Clwyd West)

Delete point 2 and replace with:

Regrets:

a) the failure of the Welsh Government to deliver on its promise to ensure that all residential and business premises would have next generation broadband by 2015;

b) that some communities have been left with stranded assets following the completion of Superfast Cymru phase 1;

c) the lack of a seamless transition between the deployment of phase one and phase two of the Superfast Cymru scheme;

d) the lack of a clear timetable for the delivery of high speed broadband to remaining premises.

 

Amendment 2 - Darren Millar (Clwyd West)

Delete point 3 and replace with:

Welcomes:

a) the UK Government’s introduction of a universal service obligation (USO) which will give eligible homes and businesses in the UK a clear, enforceable right to request a decent and affordable broadband connection by March 2020;

b) the UK Government’s investment to provide superfast broadband coverage and its stimulation for commercial investment in full fibre connections in both rural and urban locations across the whole of the UK;

c) the Chancellor’s recent £5 billion commitment to fund gigabit-capable deployment to 20 per cent of the hardest to reach premises through an 'Outside-In' approach;

d) the recent £1 billion announcement by the UK Government and the UK’s four mobile network operators to build a shared rural network that would see 4G mobile coverage extended to 95 per cent of the UK’s landmass;

e) the Home Office’s commitment to build the additional network infrastructure required to deliver the new emergency service network (ESN) and extended area services (EAS) Programme, which will provide a commercial 4G service in rural areas of Wales which would not be otherwise served.

 

Amendment 3 - Darren Millar (Clwyd West)

Add as new point at end of motion:

Calls upon the Welsh Government to:

a) issue quarterly updates showing, for each local authority area, the number of premises connected under Phase 2 of the Superfast Cymru contract;

b) work with the UK Government to collaborate with commercial partners to prioritise the digital connectivity of those premises in Wales which do not have access to reliable high speed broadband services.

 

Amendment 4 - Rhun ap Iorwerth (Ynys Môn)

Add as new point at end of motion:

Calls on better information to be provided - through a 'one stop shop' - to those who are not connected to the Superfast Cymru programme, about how they can access a fast internet connection.

Minutes:

The item started at 17.02

Voting on the motion and amendments under this item was deferred until Voting Time.

NDM7180 - Rebecca Evans (Gower)

To propose that the National Assembly for Wales:

1. Recognises the work undertaken by the Welsh Government since 2012 to improve digital connectivity across Wales through the Superfast Cymru programme, with 733,000 premises now having access to fast fibre broadband.

2. Notes that the Welsh Government has undertaken this work in a non-devolved area owing to the failure of the UK Government at that time to sufficiently invest where the commercial market would not provide.

3. Calls on the UK Government to fulfil its responsibilities and invest in gigabit-capable broadband that meets the needs of homes and businesses in Wales ensuring that:

a) funding reflects the challenges of deploying digital infrastructure in Wales;

b) delivery takes an ‘outside-in’ approach providing connectivity to those premises in rural and very rural areas; and

c) connectivity is provided first to those premises which cannot receive fast broadband.

The following amendments were tabled:

Amendment 1 - Darren Millar (Clwyd West)

Delete point 2 and replace with:

Regrets:

a) the failure of the Welsh Government to deliver on its promise to ensure that all residential and business premises would have next generation broadband by 2015;

b) that some communities have been left with stranded assets following the completion of Superfast Cymru phase 1;

c) the lack of a seamless transition between the deployment of phase one and phase two of the Superfast Cymru scheme;

d) the lack of a clear timetable for the delivery of high speed broadband to remaining premises.

 A vote was taken on amendment 1:

For

Abstain

Against

Total

13

0

30

43

Amendment 1 was not agreed.

Amendment 2 - Darren Millar (Clwyd West)

Delete point 3 and replace with:

Welcomes:

a) the UK Government’s introduction of a universal service obligation (USO) which will give eligible homes and businesses in the UK a clear, enforceable right to request a decent and affordable broadband connection by March 2020;

b) the UK Government’s investment to provide superfast broadband coverage and its stimulation for commercial investment in full fibre connections in both rural and urban locations across the whole of the UK;

c) the Chancellor’s recent £5 billion commitment to fund gigabit-capable deployment to 20 per cent of the hardest to reach premises through an 'Outside-In' approach;

d) the recent £1 billion announcement by the UK Government and the UK’s four mobile network operators to build a shared rural network that would see 4G mobile coverage extended to 95 per cent of the UK’s landmass;

e) the Home Office’s commitment to build the additional network infrastructure required to deliver the new emergency service network (ESN) and extended area services (EAS) Programme, which will provide a commercial 4G service in rural areas of Wales which would not be otherwise served.

A vote was taken on amendment 2:

For

Abstain

Against

Total

13

0

30

43

Amendment 2 was not agreed.

Amendment 3 - Darren Millar (Clwyd West)

Add as new point at end of motion:

Calls upon the Welsh Government to:

a) issue quarterly updates showing, for each local authority area, the number of premises connected under Phase 2 of the Superfast Cymru contract;

b) work with the UK Government to collaborate with commercial partners to prioritise the digital connectivity of those premises in Wales which do not have access to reliable high speed broadband services.

A vote was taken on amendment 3:

For

Abstain

Against

Total

43

0

0

43

Amendment 3 was agreed.

Amendment 4 - Rhun ap Iorwerth (Ynys Môn)

Add as new point at end of motion:

Calls on better information to be provided - through a 'one stop shop' - to those who are not connected to the Superfast Cymru programme, about how they can access a fast internet connection.

A vote was taken on amendment 4:

For

Abstain

Against

Total

42

0

1

43

Amendment 4 was agreed.

A vote was taken on the motion as amended:

NDM7180 - Rebecca Evans (Gower)

To propose that the National Assembly for Wales:

1. Recognises the work undertaken by the Welsh Government since 2012 to improve digital connectivity across Wales through the Superfast Cymru programme, with 733,000 premises now having access to fast fibre broadband.

2. Notes that the Welsh Government has undertaken this work in a non-devolved area owing to the failure of the UK Government at that time to sufficiently invest where the commercial market would not provide.

3. Calls on the UK Government to fulfil its responsibilities and invest in gigabit-capable broadband that meets the needs of homes and businesses in Wales ensuring that:

a) funding reflects the challenges of deploying digital infrastructure in Wales;

b) delivery takes an ‘outside-in’ approach providing connectivity to those premises in rural and very rural areas; and

c) connectivity is provided first to those premises which cannot receive fast broadband.

4. Calls upon the Welsh Government to:

a) issue quarterly updates showing, for each local authority area, the number of premises connected under Phase 2 of the Superfast Cymru contract;

b) work with the UK Government to collaborate with commercial partners to prioritise the digital connectivity of those premises in Wales which do not have access to reliable high speed broadband services.

5. Calls on better information to be provided - through a 'one stop shop' - to those who are not connected to the Superfast Cymru programme, about how they can access a fast internet connection.

For

Abstain

Against

Total

40

4

0

44

The motion as amended was agreed.