MP warns over government broadband funding

An MP has warned that the government is only providing half the money required to bring broadband not spots into the digital age – news which has come after the Culture Secretary wrote to all MPs with an update on broadband.

An MP has warned that when it comes to solving the problem of broadband not sports in the UK, the government is planning to stump up only half of the cash needed to bring these areas into the digital age. MP, Ian Lucas, spoke out about the situation after he, and other MPs, received a letter from the Culture Secretary Jeremy Hunt.

It is claimed that councils, many of which are already struggling financially, will be left to find the other half of the cash required to invest in these areas. Hunt is said to have made it clear in his letters that the government would only be providing half of the investment amount required. It is also claimed that, whilst the government has pledged to create the best broadband network in Europe by 2015, half the money needed to do this will have to come from the private sector.

Lucas, the Shadow Business Minister, said: “Jeremy Hunt is managing down expectations and failing to provide the investment needed to foster growth. Universal access to broadband will not happen for many communities across the country until 2015 – three years later than Labour promised. The provision of quicker super fast broadband links by then will still miss one in 10.”

He added: “Crucially, the Government is only putting in half of the public money required – meaning local authorities struggling to cope with government cuts in other areas have to find the rest or face being left behind. The proposals will do nothing to halt the broadband divide across the UK and will act as a brake on business growth across the country just when it is needed most.”

What do you think about Hunt’s letter regarding funding?

Source – This is Somerset