Broadband
Government removes clause designed to relax planning laws for broadband infrastructure
A clause in the Government’s Growth and Infrastructure Bill, intended to facilitate the roll-out of superfast broadband in all areas of the UK, has been amended by the Lords. The proposal would have allowed the installation of communications infrastructure, including overhead telecoms cabling for broadband, without the need for prior approval from the planning authority, for a period of five years in protected areas.
The amendment follows a campaign raising concerns that the key clause would have damaged national parks and areas of outstanding natural beauty. Baroness Hanham, who moved Amendment 35A to Clause 8, told the House of Lords that the reforms will ensure fixed broadband deployment is not held back in cases where local planning authorities and broadband providers are unable to agree on an ideal location for infrastructure: “The government remains convinced that the natural environment and landscape are of crucial importance, which is why there will be a number of important safeguards”.
The Baroness added that this will involve national parks helping to shape the voluntary code on siting best practice, communications providers having a statutory duty to consult local planning authorities, and environmental sustainability becoming a requirement of the Broadband Delivery UK contracts.
Helen Jackson, Chief Executive of the Campaign for National Parks, speaking before the Amendment passed, said the proposals held “no regard to their impact on the natural surroundings”.
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London boroughs concerns over broadband roll out
London borough councils have “serious concerns” that broadband rollouts across the capital could have an adverse effect on road safety.
Responding to the Government’s consultation, London Councils, which represents the capital’s 33 local authorities, warned that the Government proposals to make it easier for internet service providers to install broadband equipment by removing the need for them to win planning permission from local authorities could endanger road users by limiting pedestrian walkways and sightlines.
Living Streets, a campaign body for pedestrians and public spaces, added that the proposals risked reducing footfall for high street retailers and harming town centre trade.
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UK broadband speeds rise
Average broadband speeds in the UK have climbed into double figures for the first time, and have risen by a third in just six months, according to research published by Ofcom.
Connections hit on average 12 megabits per second in November 2012; up from 9Mbps in May and more than three times the speeds available in 2008. The increasing availability of superfast fibre optic networks, such as Virgin Media and BT, is behind the rise; for instance, BT is making fibre available at a rate of 100,000 homes per week, and between the two companies’ networks, superfast broadband covers around two-thirds of the population.
Ofcom’s research also revealed that broadband speeds are often far below their advertised maximum speeds. Non-fibre broadband connections, which are advertised as reaching speeds of up to 16Mbps, tend to reach slightly more than half that at peak times and rarely tend to beat 12Mbps. The report’s author labelled these areas, often rural, as “digital ghettos”.
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Welsh government extend broadband scheme
The Welsh government have announced their decision to extend Broadband Support Scheme for a further six months.
The initiative, which has been running for the past two years, offers funding of up to £1,000 to residents and businesses stuck with extremely slow or non-existent broadband, allowing them to pay for a faster connection. Having been extended in July 2011, the scheme was set to end this spring but has received support from Edwina Hart, the Welsh Business Minister.
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Cybercrime
UK launches cybercrime unit
The Government has announced it is to create a new cybercrime partnership, bringing together police, security experts and academics, in an effort to tackle the threat of organised cybercrime.
The Cyber Crime Reduction Partnership was unveiled by the Home Office Minister James Brokenshire MP during a speech to the BCS, the Chartered Institute for IT. The new Partnership, which will be co-chaired by Brokenshire and David Willetts MP, Minister for Universities and Science, is designed to provide a new forum in which Government, law enforcement, industry and academia can regularly come together to share information to tackle cybercrime more effectively.
It will be formally launched later this month, the Minister confirmed. ISPA has been invited to attend on behalf of the ISP industry, alongside a number of other industries, and the first meeting is taking place next week. The Minister’s wide-ranging speech also touched on the communications data bill, freedom of expression, the soon-to-be-launched National Crime Agency and more besides.
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No assessments on cost of cybercrime
Chi Onwurah MP has asked the Home Secretary what recent assessment has been made on the financial effect of cybercrime to the economy and the consumer. A supplementary question followed asking what plans the Government currently has to assess the effect of cybercrime.
James Brokenshire MP replied that whilst no formal mechanisms exist to assess the effect of cybercrime, the Government has put in place the UK Cyber Security Strategy, and from April 2013 all police forces will have a single mechanism for reporting fraud and financially-motivated cybercrime to Action Fraud. This is designed to provide a better understanding of the scale and changing nature of the threat and also the effect on victims.
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UK Government working closely with European Cybercrime Centre
James Brokenshire MP, the Home Office Minister, has confirmed to Chi Onwurah MP in a written question that the Government not only supports the creation of the European Cybercrime Centre but that it continues to work closely with it to tackle cross-border cybercrimes.
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Ministry of Defence investing in cyber-defence
Andrew Robathan MP, the Defence Minster, has told the House that the Government is investing in the Global Operations and Security Centre at Corsham, which acts as their monitoring and management facility. Robathan also confirmed that the Government is raising the cyber awareness of Ministry of Defence civilian and armed forces personnel, as well as improving the ways in which they train and manage our key cyber professionals.
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Ofcom
Ofcom publishes review of consumer information remedies
The paper, designed to provide a review of the use of information-based remedies, summarises and reviews practices across a wide range of sectors and outlines key issues for and discussion.
The purpose of the review is to contribute to an open discussion on the use of information remedies as a consumer protection and empowerment tool. Ofcom have made clear that it does not seek to determine whether information-based remedies are the most appropriate solution in any particular circumstance, and nor do they have any intention of developing general policy in this area.
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Chief Information Officer role abolished
Mike Bracken, the Executive Director of the Government Digital Service, has announced that the CIO position is to be abolished.
Explaining the decision, Bracken said that the role had become one of procurement and supplier management, not serving user requirements, and was no longer central to delivery.
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MP asks for introduction a default opt-in filter system
Diane Abbott MP, Shadow Health Minister, has asked the Government whether they will force internet service providers (ISPs) to introduce “a default opt-in filter system for access to adult content on the internet”.
Hugh Robertson MP, DCMS Minister, responded saying that the Government have asked ISPs to “actively encourage” users to opt-in to parental controls. In addition, the Government has instructed ISPs to ensure that age verification processes are in place.
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Defamation Bill
Lord Ashcroft asked the Government if linking the Defamation Bill to the proposal for press regulation underpinned by a body, appointed by Royal Charter, has been considered. The Minister of State, Ministry of Justice, Lord McNally said that provisions relating to the proposal for a Royal Charter are the subject of on-going cross-party talks.
During deliberations in the House of Lords, peers passed an amendment that would make the Defamation into a vehicle for implementing some of the proposals of the Leveson report. At present it is unclear whether the Defamation Bill will be reintroduced into the House of Commons as the Government does not support this amendment.
