Poor broadband connection is leaving rural areas at an economic and social disadvantage, the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Select Committee has been told.
Giving evidence to the Committee on 3 December as part of an inquiry into broadband coverage in remote rural areas, CLA President Henry Robinson said: “Ensuring universal access to a modern broadband connection is vital to ending the economic disadvantage faced by rural areas.
“The CLA was the first organisation to recognise the importance of broadband to the countryside more than ten years ago. The fact that inquiries like this are still taking place, demonstrates that progress has been slower than a dial-up internet connection.”
Committee has been urged to recommend a Universal Service Obligation for access to broadband.
This includes a fixed-line broadband service of at least 10 Megabits per second (Mbps) and looking at using alternative technologies such as satellite to ensure the needs are met of the final five percent of rural areas not currently connected.
Mr Robinson also questioned the rollout of digital-only access for payments made to farmers by the Rural Payments Agency (RPA).
He said: “From January, applications can only be made online to the RPA for the Basic Payment Scheme. The Government is very confident that moving to online-only applications for farm payments will work and we have been working closely with RPA officials on the Assisted Digital programme.
“However, we are very concerned there will be lots of farmers who do not have adequate broadband connections. Training and support must be made available to the 12,000 rural businesses still struggling to get online.”
