Political Monitor 19/06/2020

19 June 2020

Broadband

MPs launch campaign to connect low income families

Siobhain McDonagh MP (Lab) has launched a campaign to facilitate free broadband connections and devices for children on free school meals to help reduce the digital divide. McDonagh’s campaign, which has cross-party support from a number of prominent current and former Parliamentarians including Tony Blair and Education Select Committee Chair Rob Halfon MP (Con). The issue was later raised in a wider debate on free school meals this week, where Education Secretary, Gavin Williamson MP, noted the Government’s investments into remote education, including delivering laptops and internet access to some of the most disadvantaged children during the COVID-19 pandemic. He further stated that he “very much wants to look at how we can start to expand that and do more to ensure that all children have the support they need” but did not comment on the matter further.

Education Minister writes to Committee on remote education

Nick Gibb MP, Education Minister, has written to the Education Select Committee to update on their project to provide devices and connections to school children unable to access them during the pandemic. The letter outlines that DfE have ordered over 200,000 laptops and tablets, and over 50,000 4G wireless routers. Devices have been allocated to local authorities and academy trusts based on estimates of the number of eligible children that do not have access to a laptop or tablet through other means. Gibb noted that the scheme prioritises the most vulnerable children, including care leavers. He further stated that the Government was keen to improve internet access for other disadvantaged households and highlighted work with BT on opening up Wi-Fi hotspots.

Further information from DfE on the progress of the scheme has been published here.

Parliamentary Question on broadband access

Rachel Maskell MP (Lab) asked a question on access to broadband from lower socio-economic communities, to which Digital and Broadband Minister, Matt Warman MP, highlighted social tariffs available on some ISPs. He further noted the USO and £5bn of public funding to rollout networks, and the various commitments made by the industry over the course of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Ofcom

Ofcom CEO Dame Melanie Dawes to face questions from the DCMS Committee

Dame Melanie Dawes will make her first appearance before the DCMS committee when she gives evidence next week. Dawes who has been CEO of Ofcom for three months, will give evidence in a session focused on Ofcom’s role in online harms, digital inclusion and infrastructure. In relation to online harms, the Committee has noted its interest in Ofcom’s potential role as the ‘Online Harms Regulator’, and the resources it will need. The Committee will also scrutinise customer’s experiences of broadband and mobile networks during Covid-19 as well as Ofcom’s position on the roll-out of gigabit-capable broadband as part of the ongoing inquiry into the 2025 targets.

ISPA responded to the inquiry last month and the full written submission can be found here.

MP questions Prime minister over broadband infrastructure.

This week, Selaine Saxby MP (Con) expressed that Coronavirus had shown the importance of improving broadband infrastructure. Saxby asked the Prime minister whether extending the existing relief on business rates for new full-fibre infrastructure could see the release of the investment we need to level up rural areas such as her own constituency of North Devon. She concluded by asking the Prime minister to thank telecommunications workers for their efforts during the pandemic. The Prime minister responded by reiterating that the government has provided 100% business rate relief for all new fibre investment and thanked telecoms workers for working throughout the pandemic.

Cyber Security

China Research Group roundtable

This week the China Research Group of Conservative MPs held a virtual roundtable event with representatives from O2 and a venture capital firm C5 on the “right approach” to Huawei in the UK. The event was hosted by Neil O’Brien MP and chaired by Foreign Affairs Select Committee chair, Tom Tugendhat, with a number of Conservative MPs also in attendance. The conversation touched on a number of topics, including OpenRAN and the possibility of interoperability opening up the market, as well as general attitudes towards China as a tech power in the post-Covid age. Further events are planned for the group with the group’s founder,  O’Brien, increasingly speaking out publicly, including on Westminster Hour, warning of risks associated with Huawei.

Home Secretary chairs virtual ‘Five Eyes’ security summit

This week Home Secretary Priti Patel chaired a virtual meeting with the ‘Five Eyes’.  Interior and Security Ministers from Australia, Canada, New Zealand, the UK and the US, discussed a range of threats including the increased risk of online child sexual abuse, disinformation and hostile state activity. Ministers agreed to work together to counter these threats and ensure that the public can access reliable information to protect themselves. Patel said the threat of online child abuse and terrorism would increase if social media platforms continued to push for end-to-end encryption. Ministers agreed that tech companies should work closely with governments to ensure their plans do not damage efforts to keep the public safe. The group also discussed the issue of cyber criminals exploiting the pandemic through ransomware, malware and phishing attacks, and agreed to share intelligence to prevent these scams.

Defence Committee to hold session on security and geopolitics of 5G

On Tuesday the committee heard from Congressman Mike Turner, from the U.S. House of Representative. Turner is a member of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, and a Chairman of the Defence and Security Committee of the NATO Parliamentary Assembly. During the evidence session he stated the US-UK “special relationship” could be “fundamentally altered” by divergent positions on Huawei, as the “same academic level of trust would be impacted”, as well as the level of information sharing.

Written question on Huawei

Lord Campbell (Lib Dem) submitted a written question asking whether the government will conduct a review into the role being played by Huawei in the extension of 5G coverage in the UK. DCMS Minister Baroness Barran replied that the Government had been clear on the risks, threats and technology changes surrounding Huawei’s role in 5G. Barran continued that following the US Department of Commerce announcement last month that they would be taking further action against Huawei, The National Cyber Security Centre was now considering what the impact of the US sanctions might be on the UK’s 5G roll out plans.

Science and Technology Committee inquiry continues

Next Wednesday the Science and Technology committee will have its first oral evidence session as part of its inquiry into the telecoms supply chain and domestic capability. The committee will hear from Matthew Evans, Director at techUK, Professor Dimitra Simeonidou who is Professor of High-Performance Networks at University of Bristol and Attilio Zani the Executive Director at Telecom Infra Project.

Online Safety

Joint Statement from founding members of the Global Partnership on Artificial Intelligence

This week, the founding members of the Global Partnership on Artificial Intelligence (GPAI) which includes the European Union and UK, released a joint statement outlining their ambitions. The partnership aims to “support the responsible and human-centric development and use of AI in a manner consistent with human rights, fundamental freedoms, and democratic values”. GPAI’s experts will also investigate how AI can be leveraged to better respond to and recover from COVID-19.

Chancellor urges the US to back the Digital Services Tax

In a letter, co-signed by Finance Ministers of France, Italy and Spain, the Chancellor has warned that tech giants such as Google, Amazon and Facebook “need to pay their fair share of tax”.

In the letter, obtained by the BBC, European finance Ministers told the US Treasury Steve Mnuchin that the pandemic has increased the need for levies such as the Digital Services Tax, stating that COVID-19 had “accelerated a fundamental transformation in consumption habits and increased the use of digital services, consequently reinforcing digital business models’ dominant position and increasing their revenue at the expense of more traditional businesses”.

The letter continues, “digital giants, no matter where they are headquartered, will emerge from the current crisis more powerful and more profitable. These companies benefit from free access to the European market. It is fair and legitimate to expect that they pay their fair share of tax within countries where they create value and profit.”

ISPA Events

ISPA Awards finalists 2020

This week, the finalists for the 2020 ISPA Awards, the longest running and most prestigious awards for the UK’s internet industry, were unveiled. As the awards enter their 22nd year, ISPA feel it is more important than ever to acknowledge and showcase the industry. The importance of keeping the UK connected has been clear for all to see during the global pandemic, allowing friends and families to keep in touch, keeping the economy moving, supporting a shift to remote working and enabling home schooling.

The ISPA Awards are proud to recognise the telecoms contributions, whatever their size, as shown by the breadth and variety of those shortlisted for an award.

The winners will be announced on 18th November 2020. ISPA would appreciate your input as to how the awards ceremony should run this year and would be grateful if you could please fill in this short survey.