MPs invite farmers to have say on broadband
© Photoalto/Shutterstock Farm businesses and rural communities continue to be hampered by poor broadband and lack of access to online services, MPs say.
Rural broadband, mobile infrastructure and access to digital services remains a central issue, said the House of Commons environment, food and rural affairs (Efra) committee.
The committee has launched a short inquiry to examine current government proposals to improve digital connectivity in the countryside.
See also: Village switches on self-build hyperfast broadband
Not enough has improved since the committee’s last inquiry into rural broadband and digital-only services in 2014/15, suggested committee chairman Neil Parish MP.
“The Efra committee has decided to revisit this subject because – five years after our initial inquiry – digital connectivity still remains a core issue for many rural communities,” he said.
‘Unfairly hampered’
The last report warned that farmers trying to complete online-only applications for support payments were unfairly hampered by poor broadband.
“Until there is 100% reliable broadband coverage then there will be those who, through lack of online access, are disadvantaged through no fault of their own,” it said.
An NFU survey last year found almost two-thirds of farmers were unhappy with their broadband speeds.
Mr Parish said the government had identified challenges for improving digital connectivity in rural areas – and recently made numerous policy and funding announcements.
The committee wanted to know if these plans for improving connectivity were adequate for rural areas – and what was being done in the short term to improve broadband and mobile coverage.
Better service vital
“The committee will also test how the government plans to ensure access to the growing number of online public services at no extra cost to rural consumers,” said Mr Parish.
“As previous select committee inquiries have shown, delivery of broadband in rural areas in the past has been poor. We cannot allow this problem to continue.
“The government and service providers need to ensure that equal access to a high-quality, cost-effective service is accessible to all.”
How to have your say
Farmers and other rural residents are invited to submit written evidence to inquiry – with the committee outlining a number of questions it would like answered:
- What are the barriers to delivering superfast broadband and improved mobile phone coverage in rural areas at an affordable cost to consumers?
- Is enough being done to address the disparity in coverage and digital service provision between rural and urban areas?
- What is the impact of the urban-rural digital divide on rural communities?
- Is the current Universal Service Obligation (USO) adequate for the needs of rural communities and businesses and will it be effectively delivered?
- Given technological developments, including provision of 5G, will the USO provide the necessary level of connectivity for rural areas in the next decade?
- Are the government’s recent policy and funding announcements for improving digital connectivity adequate for rural areas, and how robust are the plans for delivery?
- How well do digital public services work in rural areas where there are poor internet connections?
- What support or alternatives are available for those in rural areas with poor or no connection to use digital public services and how effective is it?
The deadline for submissions through the committee’s web portal is midnight on Monday 24 June.
Respondents are advised to familiarise themselves with the guidance on giving evidence to select committees, including particulars of word count, format, document size, and content restrictions.