Parliament & Internet | The Internet Service Providers Association

Parliament & Internet is an annual conference to discuss Internet policy and inform policymakers by bringing together Government, Parliamentarians, officials, business and civil society. It is a platform where thought leaders debate important technology issues that shape legislative policy in an open forum.

The stimulus for Parliament & Internet came from UK members of Parliament with a keen interest in the Internet who visited Washington DC between 2003 and 2006 and spoke at the US Congressional Internet Caucus. It was felt that a similar regular open dialogue was needed in the UK. The first Parliament & Internet conference was held in the Houses of Parliament in October 2006 and has become a key event each year since for those interested in discussing Internet policy.

Parliament & Internet Conference - 8th July 2025

Find the final agenda here.

30 years of innovation: where do we go from here?

Now in its 18th year, ISPA’s annual Parliament and Internet Conference is well-established as the key event for the UK’s internet and connectivity sector to engage with government and parliament. Join us for another edition of the conference, sponsored by Dan Aldridge MP, and learn about the important ongoing work being done to ensure the UK has the access and resources necessary to become a tech-enabled, digital nation.

Over the past three decades, the internet has transformed every aspect of our lives – from how we communicate and work, access information and services, or even how we view our future security.

However, after years of rapid growth, the landscape is shifting dramatically. We want to take a step back and look at how far we have come, how the role of the ISP has changed over time, and how we can apply lessons learned to the future – ensuring all communities have the tools and access necessary to unlock the next phase of digital transformation, as the government seeks to shape the UK’s future for years to come.

The conference will be split between two halves of keynotes, talks and panels, exploring online safety and digital access for all.

By invitation only - 9:00 - 11:00 | Meet your Provider clinic, sponsored by Blake Stephenson MP
Are you a parliamentarian or staffer where broadband and rollout frequently arise as topics amongst your constituents? Would you like further information to assist you with understanding these cases? Drop by our morning breakout room to speak with ISPs on a range of issues. Providers available to speak include Sky, Vorboss, BT, City Fibre, Openreach, Community Fibre and more.

AGENDA

14:00-14:10 Registration and Coffee

14:10 - 14:20 Opening address

Lord Clement Jones, Liberal Democrat DSIT Spokesperson

With the 30th anniversary of ISPA in mind, Lord Clement Jones will share his perspective of how he has witnessed internet policymaking evolve during his tenure in Parliament.

Drawing on his long-standing leadership in this space and deep expertise in digital policy, he will speak on the key lessons learned and his vision for the future regulatory landscape.

14:20 - 14:25 Welcome remarks

Nick Lansman, Secretary General of ISPA

14:25 - 15:35 Online Safety: Whose responsibility is it anyway?

The first half of the conference will look at online safety and how we can ensure that companies, services and individuals take responsibility for what happens online and how this needs to be reflected in legislation and regulation.

14:25 - 14:35 Presentation

Lorna Woods, Professor of Internet Law at the University of Essex

14:35 - 15:35 Panel and Q&A

Who bears responsibility or liability for online safety within the internet value chain and how has this changed over the past thirty years? How do new technologies help or hinder companies and the government from effectively managing online safety?

Chaired by: Sarah Owen, Chair of the Women and Equalities Committee

Speakers:

Dan Sexton, Chief Technology Officer, Internet Watch Foundation (IWF)
Robin Wilton, Senior Director of Internet Trust, Internet Society
Mashood Ahmad, CEO of Gigabit IQ
Carolyn Bunting MBE, Co-CEO, Internet Matters
Fred Langford, Director of Technology - Online Safety, Ofcom

15:35 - 15:45 Keynote speech: ISPA’s 30th Anniversary

Megan Hogg and the ISPA team To present ISPA report

15:45 - 16:20 Coffee break

16:20-16:35 Keynote speech

Natalie Black CBE, Group Director for Communications and Networks, Ofcom

16:35 – 17:50 Are we there yet? Ensuring universal digital access across the UK

From “very hard to reach” to “notspots”, there are still areas of the UK struggling with access to future-proof digital connectivity.

Why is this, and how does this impact communities socially and economically? What is industry’s role, and what support do they need from Parliament to achieve universal access?

16:35 - 16:45 Presentation

Stacey McAdie, Digital Champion, South London Partnership

16:45 - 17:50 Panel and Q&A

The government’s current commitment for fibre rollout is 99% by 2032. Is this realistic? How can parliament, industry and the third sector work together to make this possible?

Chaired by: Daniel Aldrigde, Chair of the Digital Inclusion APPG

Speakers:

Giles Rowbotham, Chief Development Officer, Nexfibre
Thora Eberts, Director of Network Delivery, UK Youth
John Duncan, Connected Places Lead, Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA)
Stacey McAdie, Digital Champion, South London Partnership
Ben Harries, Policy Director, Ofcom

17:50 - 17:55 Closing remarks

We are grateful to Nexfibre and Gigabit IQ for supporting and sponsoring this event.

Parliament & Internet Conference - 20th March 2024 - Priorities in enabling the UK’s digital future

As the country prepares for a General Election this year, a change of Government is potentially on the horizon. Therefore, the 17th annual Parliament and Internet Conference identified key ongoing themes in the UK’s digital landscape which will influence the priorities of an incoming Government, and explore how these trends will continue to impact the UK’s future as a leading digital nation.

Over the past decade and a half, digital transformation has been at the heart of the Parliamentary agenda, and seen significant developments which have reshaped the country and economy. Record levels of investment have increased full fibre rollout to more than 60% of the country; strengthening of the rules and regulations across security and safety; and the digitisation of public services have established digital innovation as central to the UK’s global role and strategic advantage.

However, as every aspect of our lives is permeated by digital opportunities, new challenges and barriers continue to arise: from ensuring digital inclusion is feasible and affordable to all, to securing adequate investment to maintain rollout and capitalising on socioeconomic possibilities. These objectives will require a flexible and effective regulatory environment which equally encourages growth and competition while grappling with a shifting political environment, therefore necessitating coordination between policymakers and industry.

We were delighted to have the Government’s Rural Connectivity Champion, Simon Fell MP, as our Parliamentary sponsor for the event. The Conference featured keynote speeches and panel discussions, bringing together 150 senior delegates from across Government, regulators, Parliament, industry and the third sector to offer their expert insight into how we can wrap up the previous challenges and confront new ones, in order to ensure the future of the UK as a digital nation.

Event Sponsor:

Parliament & Internet Conference 2023

ISPA UK’s 16th annual flagship Parliament & Internet conference took place in the Attlee Suite at the end of last month. We were delighted to welcome representatives from across industry, government, academia, and civil society to listen in and participate in an essential event at a critical time for our industry. The afternoon was full of insightful discussion and debate about the future of the UK internet sector. Our expert panels and keynote deep dove into the future of broadband, key policy developments, FTTP rollout, net neutrality, and cyber security.

The afternoon kicked off with introductory remarks by ISPA’s chair, Steve Leighton, who then introduced the first panel which this year focused on net neutrality.

On this panel we were delighted to be joined by:

Roslyn Layton, PhD, Tech Policy Lead at Strand Consult
Clive Carter, Director of Group Regulatory Affairs at BT Group
Dr Monica Horten, Policy Manager at Open Rights Group
Till Sommer, Head of Policy at ISPA UK
Matt Warman MP (Chair)

With the results of Ofcom’s review of the UK’s net neutrality regime expected in Autumn, the panel examined what the revisions and a reconceptualisation of the current regulatory regime could look like, contributing to how it can be redefined for the internet of the future. Chaired by former Broadband Minister Matt Warman MP, the panel had a spirited discussion on what an open internet could look like in the UK after its exit from the EU - and what overarching policy objectives the Government should consider when comparing it to other nations. The main conclusion from the panel was that the UK's review represents a once in a generation opportunity to change the current constricting rules on industry.

We were then joined by Baroness Neville-Jones, the former Security Minister, who delivered the cybersecurity keynote session. Some of the key takeaways from her keynote included how the UK has improved national cyber security capacity since her role in the Cameron Government and the formation of NCSC. Her discussion on cybersecurity concluded with a call for greater collaboration and information sharing between technology companies, governments, and other stakeholders.

As the country gears up for the next General Election in what is slated to be Autumn 2024, our final panel of the day held a timely discussion on the need for broadband to remain a long-term political priority, the remaining barriers faced by a highly competitive industry in the rollout of gigabit broadband, and what is next for the broadband sector.

We were thrilled to be joined by:

James Fredrickson, Director of Policy and Regulatory Affairs, Hyperoptic
Catherine Colloms, Director of Corporate Affairs and Brand, Openreach
Gareth Williams, Chief Executive Officer, Gigaclear
Brian Potterill, Director of Competition Policy, Ofcom
Ben Lake MP (Chair)

With excellent chairing by Ben Lake MP, some of the key takeaways of this session included support for flexi-permits, a call for greater diversity in the industry, the impact of inflation, and a lively debate on Equinox 2 and mid-contract price rises.

Overall, the event was a great success, bringing together over 100 attendees, and we are incredibly thankful for the fantastic speakers who shared their insights with us. The discussions and knowledge shared will undoubtedly lead to a more informed and innovative approach to the regulation and growth of the telecoms sector in the UK. We look forward to welcoming everyone to next year’s Parliament & Internet event.

Parliament & Internet Conference – 23 March 2022

ISPA was delighted to hold the 15th Parliament & Internet conference in the Attlee Suite of Portcullis House on 23rd March 2022. The event was at full capacity and featured two excellent panel discussions on ‘Is gigabit capable broadband on track to level up the UK?’ chaired by Selaine Saxby MP and ‘Where next for ‘UK Internet?' chaired by Ben Lake MP.

An array of panellists offered their expertise on these matters including Catherine Colloms (Director Corporate Affairs and Brand at Openreach), Katie O’Donovan (Director of Government Affairs and Public Policy at Google) and Amy Jordan (Principle Public Policy, Ofcom). Additionally, there were two great keynotes from Helen Milner OBE, Group Chief Executive at the Good Things Foundation and Stephen Bonner, Executive Director at the Information Commissioner’s Office.