One of my top priorities as the Member of Parliament for Bolsover is to improve access to ultrafast broadband for towns and villages across the constituency, in particular in our rural communities.
The government has already committed over £5 billion to deliver next generation, gigabit-capable broadband to the entire country. The recent update showed that 70% of households have access to gigabit broadband – meaning the Government is well on track to achieve its 85% target for 2025.
Having reliable broadband at home is a necessity in the modern world. Whether you're running a business from home, completing educational courses online, keeping in touch with family, or doing your regular grocery shop, our lives depend on decent broadband.
That’s why I have been working with broadband providers to help provide better services for residents who are increasingly reliant on fast broadband as more and more services from government and the voluntary and private sector are being delivered online. It is absolutely essential that areas and people without a good connection do not get left behind and I very much welcome legislation to make gigabit-capable connections in all new housing development’s mandatory.
Last summer, I visited the Bolsover Exchange alongside the Regional Partnership Manager at Openreach to better understand the practical side of fibre technology and to discuss the work that is ongoing to ensure that everywhere across our constituency has access to high speed, reliable, broadband, particularly some of our more rural areas, as well as learn more about the local apprenticeship scheme which is providing young people with access to skilled and well-paid jobs.