Writing for Politics Home, Selaine Saxby MP, Conservative MP for North Devon, argues that digital connectivity should be at the forefront of the levelling up agenda for rural areas, which despite improvement, still lags behind urban areas

Saxby argues that poor connectivity in rural areas is holding back productivity – a key part to unlocking prosperity - and refers to research by the Federation of Small Businesses, which found 57 per cent of small businesses in rural areas experienced unreliable connectivity prior to the pandemic.

Addressing this will play a fundamental role in delivering the pro-growth agenda and Saxby warmly welcome the plans to accelerate the gigabit broadband rollout announced in the Plan for Growth.

Through the Shared Rural Network, the telecommunications industry has committed £500 million, matched by government, to deliver 4G connectivity to 95 per cent of the United Kingdom’s landmass by 2025.

Yet this work is being undermined by The Electronic Communications Code, which was reformed in 2017 to accelerate rollout, but has had the opposite effect - legal loopholes have been exploited by land aggregators extracting profit from the UK to maximise their rents while frustrating the provision of the necessary improved connectivity.

In November, the Government published the Product Security and Telecommunications Infrastructure Bill, which seeks to amend the Code to deliver on its original intent.

Saxby calls on the Government to bring the bill into law, to help close loopholes, enhance the industry’s ability to share and upgrade sites, and deliver the legal framework needed to connect the country.

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Politics Home - The Telecoms Bill will unleash rural connectivity and boost productivity