Source · Select Committees · Public Accounts Committee
Recommendation 10
10
The Department explained that it was focussed on removing barriers to rapid roll out, such...
Conclusion
The Department explained that it was focussed on removing barriers to rapid roll out, such as the cost of streetworks or a planning system that prevents telecoms operators from getting access to premises, by working with other government departments and through legislation and regulation.22 The National Audit Office’s report included state aid as one such barrier and said that the process of securing state aid approval to provide subsidy to suppliers can take 12–24 months to complete.23 We asked the Department to set out the latest position following its submission of non-binding proposals on state aid to the European Union in late 2019. The Department told us that it expected to be able to deal with state aid as a domestic matter after the end of the transition period in December 2020.24 It said that it regarded the possibility of remaining subject to EU rules after that time as a hypothetical scenario, for which it had not prepared a contingency plan, but believed that if necessary, the process could be speeded up.25
Government Response
Acknowledged
HM Government
Acknowledged
2.2 The government identified risks and barriers to gigabit rollout in its Future Telecoms Infrastructure Review (July 2018). Since then, the government’s Barrier Busting Taskforce has made great progress with: ● introducing legislation to make it easier for broadband firms to access blocks of flats. The Telecommunications Infrastructure (Leasehold Property) Bill has finished its Parliament passage and is awaiting Royal Assent. ● Consulting on how to ensure all new build developments have gigabit-capable broadband and committed to amending Building Regulations to deliver this reform. ● Acting on access to roads. In 2020, the new digital Street Manager system went live and the updated specification for the Reinstatement of Openings in Highways was introduced by the Department for Transport (DfT) to enable more innovative road reinstatement techniques by operators. ● Continuing to work with DfT on further reforms to simplify street works processes to support broadband deployment. 2.3 Following engagement with stakeholders since the Future Telecoms Infrastructure Review, the government issued a consultation on whether the Electronic Communications Code required further reforms to make it faster and more efficient for operators to install, maintain and upgrade their network apparatus. Government will publish an update on its Barrier Busting work shortly and will continue to work with stakeholders to identify barriers to deployment and take urgent action to address key issues that emerge. 2.4 The government is carrying out a technical consultation with network operators on the use of Huawei equipment in full fibre networks. This is nearing completion and the Secretary of State will announce the outcome in due course.