Broadband issues continue to blight rural areas across Brecon and Radnorshire and last week I took the opportunity during a debate on Broadband and Mobile Coverage to lobby the Minister for Media, Data and Digital Infrastructure.
I asked Digital Minister Julia Lopez what her department is doing to improve broadband and mobile phone coverage, following contact from constituents in Knighton who have expressed concerns over the universal service obligation. (click here)
Decent and affordable broadband coverage is inconsistent in many rural areas of Brecon and Radnorshire with some quotes for connection running in the tens of thousands of pounds, despite some properties being only a few hundred metres away from the cabinet.
The Minister has agreed to meet me to discuss the more difficult not-spots but also added that the Government is rolling out infrastructure connecting the hardest-to-reach areas through Project Gigabit and working with commercial partners on the shared rural network to tackle mobile signal challenges. This is a firm priority of mine for this year and so please get in touch if you haven’t already raised your case with me.
However, there is one example where I am grateful that constituents can’t always access good broadband.
Cyber flashing is the sinister online twin of indecent exposure. Its where an individual forces an explicit image to someone – either through their social media accounts, or even more perversely, using Bluetooth in a public place. When this happens, the victim is often alone with their perpetrator, but cannot identify them. While it might seem trivial, it is deeply frightening. There is evidence that cyber-flashing is a gateway offence to more serious acts of violence. The man who killed Sarah Everard has now been charged with exposing himself before he went on to commit his horrific crime. However, while flashing in person is a criminal offence – it was not illegal to do it online.
Until last week, when the Government agreed with my campaign to include it in the Online Safety Bill. Offenders will now face up to two years in jail. For too long, women and girls have only had the screens on their phones to protect them from indecent images. Including it as a criminal offence means that what’s illegal offline is also illegal online. This is an important step forward towards protecting women and girls and I am thrilled to have played a part in changing the law in this way.
Please do not hesitate to get in touch if I can help. [email protected]
