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CLA says Government rural broadband commitment does not go far enough The CLA said today (Thursday, 7 January) that Lord Mandelson's commitment to provide £1 billion of investment for next-generation-access broadband through the proposed 50p broadband levy is welcome but does not go far enough. CLA President William Worsley said: "The CLA has been calling for Government investment into the UK's broadband infrastructure since 2002, and welcomes Lord Mandelson's acknowledgement that without direct government investment people in rural areas without broadband access will lose out once again. "However, as the Government itself admits, only nine-tenths of the country will benefit from next-generation-access or superfast broadband by 2017. What will happen to the remaining 10 percent who are inevitably going to be in remote rural areas? "The £1 billion is a start and we will be actively engaged in the consultation process to try to ensure the Government's investment is deployed in the right areas. "But it could cost up to £15 billion to network the UK with fibre optic. The CLA has consistently called for a public-private partnership to finance the fibre optic roll-out, because we believe the private sector on its own is unwilling to do so." The CLA President added that the Government had to recognise that its commitment to provide two megabits per second to every door by 2012 is the first concern. He added: "We are calling on Government to adopt the Prime Minister's own view that broadband is a vital public utility. "This can only be achieved through putting in place legal guarantees that two megabits per second will be available to all by 2012 through a legally binding Universal Service Obligation." |
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An economist, advises on rural economic issues, particularly food policy, rural tourism, equine issues and telecommunications policy. 
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