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.