Margaret Ritchie – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Margaret Ritchie on 2015-10-20.

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, how many applications have been submitted for the voucher broadband scheme; how many such applications came from Northern Ireland; how many of these have been approved; and if he will make available new programmes of broadband funding.

Mr Edward Vaizey

The Scheme has been a great success with SMEs right across the UK benefitting from broadband speeds on average 10 times faster than existing connections. My department collects routine data from participating cities, who are responsible for administering broadband connection vouchers in accordance with scheme terms and conditions showing vouchers issued rather than applications made.

As of 30 September 2015 there were over 40,000 vouchers issued in over 50 cities across the UK, of which around 2,000 were issued in Northern Ireland. All decisions regarding new funding are subject to the Spending Review.