Government confirms Welsh super-fast broadband allocation

Culture and Media Secretary Jeremy Hunt has laid down the gauntlet for the Welsh Assembly to match Westminster’s investment in broadband.

Hunt confirmed that nearly £60m of the government’s £530m pot for super-fast broadband will be allocated to Wales, which has some of the poorest broadband services in the UK.

“We are investing £56.9m to help take broadband to the whole of Wales,” said Hunt. “If the Welsh Government matches our investment, 90 per cent of the country’s homes and businesses will have access to super-fast broadband.”

The amount allocated to Wales tops that given to other areas that have already received super-fast broadband funding. For example, projects in Cornwall and Devon were given a £30m grant.

But Wales scored poorly in Ofcom’s recent analysis of broadband provision in the UK, with businesses in many areas served by feeble internet access. Overall, just 31 per cent of premises in Wales have access to super-fast broadband – the lowest proportion in the UK.

Furthermore, the Rural Economy Taskforce report published by the Welsh Office on 11 July concluded that investment in broadband in the region was “urgently required”.

“Today’s announcement will ensure broadband take-up and speed can be significantly improved, benefiting individuals and businesses,” said Cheryl Gillan, secretary of state for Wales.

The Department for Culture, Media and Sport also stressed that the amount each region receives is not based on the number of people living in the region, but on the cost of connecting those premises that are not served by commercial providers – such as those in rural locations.