Clause 2 - Initial function of OFCOM
Office of Communications Bill [Lords]
10:15 am
Mr Simon Thomas (Ceredigion, Plaid Cymru)
I accept the hon. Lady's point, but it does not resonate with me. Although she was right to have tabled the amendments, which deal with an important aspect of Ofcom's activities in its first year or so—the next group of Opposition amendments, proposing a sunset clause, is also important—they do not quite work. However, they give the Minister the opportunity to say more about the initial Ofcom board, which will be giving important advice to Government and influencing debates. Clause 2 states that the regulatory bodies will have to give way to Ofcom, and respect what it says. They know that their lives are coming to an end, and that Ofcom will take over. Ofcom will be the big player, not the existing regulatory bodies.
The hon. Member for Esher and Walton made a point about broadband access. On Friday, I met my local authority to discuss that matter. We in west Wales have established an exciting joint venture between Powys, Carmarthenshire, Pembrokeshire and Ceredigion county councils; The MARAN project will allow broadband access in rural areas. Making the last jump has proved difficult. We have provided broadband access for the public sector, but the National Assembly has demanded that all schools have broadband access, which it has provided funding for. How does one connect broadband access in Aberystwyth to Ponterwyd, 15 miles up a rural valley? That last jump is extremely costly. The school cannot pay for it, and rural businesses that would like to use broadband cannot pay for it. Will Ofcom address that in the public sector, or through a public-private partnership?