Dunne raises rural digital divide in Parliament

A cross-party group of MPs focussed attention on the risks of rural exclusion from the growing digital divide widening between urban and rural areas.

MPs and Peers, members of the All Party Parliamentary Group on Rural Services, were joined by over 30 delegates this morning for a discussion of the challenges rural people face in accessing broadband and digital services.

The UK currently has 89 per cent of public services online, making affordable broadband access vital to the sustainability of rural businesses and communities.

Philip Dunne MP, the Chair of the cross-party group on rural services said:

"I was pleased to chair this discussion on the opportunities and challenges facing rural residents in accessing services over broadband. Greater distances to service outlets, longer journey times and general economies of scale often make services more costly to deliver in rural areas.

We learnt of initiatives to help improve rural access to broadband. It is vital that these initiatives, whether by public sector, commercial interests or community groups are given the opportunity to develop, so that the digital divide does not grow.

There are barriers to broadband roll-out which need to be addressed, such as access fees and penal business rates. An incoming Government needs to look at how broadband can both stimulate enterprise in rural communities as well as help deliver services more cost effectively."