Source · Select Committees · Environmental Audit Committee
Recommendation 18
18
Not Addressed
Paragraph: 126
Changes in ways of working during the pandemic have led to far greater levels of...
Recommendation
Changes in ways of working during the pandemic have led to far greater levels of working from home, in urban and rural areas. This has doubtless reduced commuter car usage in rural areas in particular. Home working can therefore contribute to meeting net zero goals. High quality internet and mobile connectivity are nevertheless a prerequisite for home working to be sustained after the pandemic, and must therefore be considered as an essential utility. Access to reliable mobile signal, and fast and reliable broadband, must now be guaranteed as a priority.
Government response summary AI-generated
The government response discusses investments in decarbonising transport, including electric vehicles, cycling, buses, and various low-emission transport technologies, but does not address the recommendation to guarantee access to reliable internet and mobile connectivity.
Summary of the government's response below — read the verbatim text to verify.
Paragraph Reference:
126
Government Response
Not Addressed
HM Government · verbatim extract
Not Addressed
The Government recognises the importance of connectivity both to the economy and to people’s lives. The Government has committed a landmark £5 billion to support the rollout of gigabit connectivity in the hardest to reach areas, and are working with industry to target a minimum of 85% gigabit-capable coverage by 2025, seeking to accelerate rollout further to get as close to 100% as possible. This Government is also committed to making poor mobile coverage a thing of the past. That is why the Government signed an historic £1 billion deal to banish rural not-spots – delivering strong 4G coverage irrespective of what provider people use. With funding now available, the Government and the operators remain confident that combined coverage will be delivered to 95% of UK geography by the end of 2025, with areas around the UK starting to see improvements to 4G coverage long before completion.
Read the full response on Parliament ↗