Question
I pay tribute to the men and women of Scottish and Southern Electricity, who are out there right now reconnecting the homes in the Western Isles that lost power over the weekend due to the storms. Resilience is in-built on the islands, but as other Members have pointed out, we have major problems with connectivity because of the move from analogue to digital phonelines, which means that when the power goes out, people do not have the phone or the internet—and they often do not have a mobile signal either. BT and Openreach’s response—to give powerpacks to vulnerable customers who ask for them—is simply not adequate, and mobile phone providers do not have the means to maintain their signal during storms. Will the Minister call in those companies and get them to up their digital game and ensure that there is digital resilience—not just in the places that are easy, but on the edge, where people are vulnerable, isolated from their neighbours, and where the ambulance is an hour away?
Answer
My hon. Friend is right to raise his concerns in the way he has. Our telecommunications networks are a vital part of the UK’s critical national infrastructure, and our emergency response in weather-related crises supports the functioning of essential services, keeping people connected when they need it most. My hon. Friend will understand that there is an important role for the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport; I have listened carefully to his comments, and I will speak to colleagues in that Department.
Verdict: RED (16/100)
This reply only partly answers the question, and mostly in general terms. The question asked whether the Minister would contact BT, Openreach and mobile providers about keeping communications working during power cuts, and whether remote areas such as the Western Isles would be considered. The reply refers the matter to another department (DCMS), says only that it will speak to colleagues there, and gives general background on telecoms as critical infrastructure. It makes no specific commitment and does not mention remote areas, so the person who asked would probably need to ask again for a concrete answer.
How we got there
| Question item | Coverage | Specificity | Rationale |
|---|---|---|---|
| Will the Minister call in BT, Openreach and mobile phone providers and ask them to improve digital resilience during power outages, including in remote and isolated areas such as the Western Isles? | Partially Addressed | Hedged | The reply does not say whether the Minister will contact BT, Openreach or mobile providers about power-outage resilience, nor mention remote areas such as the Western Isles. It refers the matter to DCMS and commits only to speaking with colleagues there, while the statement on telecoms as critical national infrastructure is general background rather than an answer about the requested action. |