Gordon Lyons
East Antrim · Democratic Unionist Party · Northern Ireland
“Implementing other recommendations will require further legislation that, I trust, will come in the next mandate, but I can confirm that 60 of the recommendations have already been separately addressed by either the Department or the commission. I hope that that answers his questions.”
“Yes, I do and am happy to share those. The issue has been raised in the Chamber and through Assembly questions. My position is that we want to make it simple and straightforward for people.”
“They also introduce greater flexibility in financial reporting, allowing requirements to be tailored more appropriately, reducing burdens on smaller organisations and ensuring that the system can adapt over time through secondary legislation.”
“If they want to constitute as a Northern Ireland-only charity, they are able to do that, if they believe that that will bring certain benefits.”
“That is similar to what we are trying to do with trustees. Even though you leave your position as a trustee or your position as someone who holds an office in a charity or who has employment in the office, the commissioner will still be able to make a determination that says, "Even though you have left, we are still making this order to t…”
“I do not believe that it was. That was maybe picked up wrong. We are happy to look at and explore that, but that is the information that I have on it. Again, we will have the Committee Stage of the legislation, so we can look into that then.”
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“I appreciate the Member's giving way. I have addressed that issue a number of times. I will summarise the issues that I have with the Bill. First, there is the issue of solidarity industrial action. Does the Member believe that it is fair that employment disputes between a separate employer and employee should require an employer in another organisation to face the consequences of that? Secondly, does he not agree that, rather than creating an atmosphere in which to get a resolution to problems, reducing the notice period from seven to two days just intensifies the issue and takes away the space in which to try to actually deal with the issue?”
“I am delighted to hear about the responses. My query was not about the number of responses; I genuinely wanted to know whether there had been engagement with business organisations. When will we see the results of the consultation? Have you published them so that we can see what people said?”
“<BR /> <BR />In closing, I will say to Mr Carroll that I do not believe that this is an appropriate Bill at this time, that sufficient consultation has been carried out or that all the questions have been answered. I do not believe that the Bill will ultimately achieve what we want, which is improved outcomes for employees or employers. We can do much better than what we have in the Bill, and I urge Members to reject it.”
“We brought forward the economic recovery action plan, which helped to sustain businesses, especially those on the high street. We also brought forward our 10X economic vision and the supporting strategies, such as the energy strategy and the action plan, the 10X trade and investment plan and all the other strategies that have been put in place to deliver the type of economy that we want to see in Northern Ireland in order to increase opportunities for workers and make sure that they have them in the future. In addition, we brought forward Project Stratum, and the Member will be delighted that, in her constituency, we have ensured that 13,572 premises now have access to high-speed broadband. Therefore, we have not been sitting on our hands in the Department. We have brought forward legislation where we can.”
“We took forward the Parental Bereavement (Leave and Pay) Bill because we recognised the short time that was left and we wanted to address what I and Diane Dodds thought was the most pressing issue. We were already left behind by the rest of the UK on leave and pay for parental bereavement. As we all became aware, that process was much more difficult than we thought it would be. Employment law is difficult. It was not going to be possible for us, in the short time that we had, to bring forward an employment Bill and to do credit to the issues that need to be addressed. <BR /> <BR />Not only did we bring forward that Parental Bereavement (Leave and Pay) Bill but we have been very busy in the Department providing immediate financial support of over £600 million, through 50 schemes, to help sustain jobs and businesses in Northern Ireland.”
“I will also pick up on a comment that Jemma Dolan made, because she would not let me intervene. I have already committed to an employment Bill — my Department will take it forward, and I hope that the next Minister will too — in the next mandate. There are so many issues that we want to make sure that we can address.”
“<BR /> <BR />My fear is that the Bill is trying to make it as easy as possible to get to that industrial action. The goal here should not be to make it as easy as possible to take industrial action. The goal that we all want to achieve is, surely, the outcome that works for employees and employers and that is achieved by agreement, rather than trying to move straight to what could be considered the nuclear option.”
“<BR /> <BR />I want to refer to some of the comments that were made during the debate. I will pick up on a comment made by Mr O'Toole, who said that he wants to see employees and employers working together. I do not think that the Bill is conducive to employer-employee relationships. In particular, the fact that the Bill tries to reduce the time limit for notification of industrial action from seven days to two days takes away the opportunity to have better relations. It is a point that Mr Dickson was getting at and one that I wholeheartedly agree with, not only on how we need consultation with trade unions, employees and employers but on how we want to leave as much time as possible for resolution. Mr Dickson mentioned the Labour Relations Agency in particular.”
“That will help to inform any future consideration of these matters, particularly the need to balance the needs of workers with those of businesses and with the wider impact on society and the Northern Ireland economy. <BR /> <BR />In seeking to protect workers, we need to create an environment in which we support and enable employers to be what we all want them to be: good employers. All legislation must be based on evidence from all those affected by any proposed measures, including workers, businesses and industry representatives, so that the real-life impacts can be fully understood. Disproportionate and ineffective regulatory burdens do not achieve the objective of making all our employers good employers; indeed, they present a risk of wasting time that employers could otherwise spend on being just that.”
“That is particularly important for the small and medium-sized businesses that comprise much of Northern Ireland's economy and that, along with their employees, have been so impacted by the effects of the pandemic. <BR /> <BR />As we move to the end of the mandate, my priority remains to ensure that workers have high-quality jobs. My Department's economic recovery action plan and 10X Economy strategy will help to protect those jobs and, importantly, generate more. While I am conscious that the Bill is unable to move to Committee Stage because of time constraints, I ask the Member to consider the issues that I have raised, should he wish to introduce similar legislation in the next mandate.”
“<BR /> <BR />In closing, I cannot find any reference in the Bill's explanatory and financial memorandum to the parties consulted when drafting the Bill or to the outcome of that consultation. As I said in my opening remarks, good lawmakers must be mindful of both parties in the employment relationship. To that end, I wonder whether the Member made specific efforts to seek views from employers and from employer representative bodies such as the CBI and the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB). I would be most interested to learn the outcome of those discussions. <BR /> <BR />It is essential for any proposal to introduce or amend legislation to be based on clear evidence of the financial and operational impact on the economy, yet there is no breakdown of the potential cost to the wider economy or to employers.”
“The potential increase in numbers eligible to claim unfair dismissal would surely affect an already stretched industrial tribunal system. Again, I ask the Member for his estimate of the likely number of additional claims for unfair dismissal stemming from the proposed abolition of the time limit and from other proposed amendments. <BR /> <BR />I note that the Bill will redefine collective bargaining so that it encompasses pay and terms and conditions of employment rather than pay, hours and holidays. Those amendments could result in an increased administrative burden on smaller businesses that are already struggling to recover from the impact of the pandemic. I look forward to the Member detailing the legal and practical impact of that proposal, should the Bill proceed any further.”
“Surely reducing those minimum levels from 21 to five workers will bring many more businesses within the scope of this legislation, leading to an increased workload and, potentially, financial and administrative repercussions for the Industrial Court, the small specialist body that adjudicates on the recognition and derecognition of trade unions. Therefore, I would be grateful for an indication from the Member of how many additional businesses would come into the scope of the legislation should minimum levels be reduced, as he proposes. More significantly, the Bill seeks to abolish the time limit for claiming unfair dismissal in relation to protected industrial action while bringing secondary action under the definition of protected action and broadening the definition of "former worker" under clause 6(11).”
“To move straight to the introduction of electronic balloting for industrial action in Northern Ireland without those assurances would seem ambitious, to say the least. <BR /> <BR />Finally, the Member believes that the Bill will not give rise to any significant increase in direct cost to the public purse, and he is silent on the costs to business. Yet, under clause 5, the Bill seeks to reduce the mandatory minimum number of employees required for a request for recognition to be entitled to conduct collective bargaining.”
“Sir Ken recommended that this pilot scheme, led by an expert advisory panel and quality assured by independent auditors, should provide the necessary assurances that e-balloting fully complies with the requirements in section 54 of the Employment Relations Act 2004. The equivalent requirements in Northern Ireland are found in article 28 of the Employment Relations (Northern Ireland) Order 2004, and those include ensuring that those who are entitled to vote have had an opportunity to do so, that all votes cast remain secret and that risk of unfairness or malpractice is minimised. In addition to that, Sir Ken argued that the expert quality assurance of the pilot scheme would allow trade unions to demonstrate that e-balloting was cyber-secure and included an effective system for voter verification.”
“That complements article 111(2)(b) of the Trade Union and Labour Relations (Northern Ireland) Order 1995, which allows voting papers to be sent to members by means other than post where required for reasons of personal safety. Of course, the Member will be familiar with the findings of the 2017 independent review by Sir Ken Knight regarding the introduction of electronic voting in GB. In his report, Sir Ken recommended that any decision to bring e-balloting permanently into legislation should be based on the outcome of a pilot scheme to test e-balloting for a few select non-statutory ballots in England, Scotland and Wales.”
“The removal of the requirement to provide essential information to an employer is likely to impact negatively on that employer's ability to fulfil their responsibilities, potentially in important areas such as health and safety in the workplace, and to ensure at least a basic service to the vulnerable. In the absence of evidence of any difficulties faced due to the current provisions, I am concerned that the only reason for such a short notice period is to cause maximum disruption in the workplace, to the economy and to the public, all at a time when we can least afford it. <BR /> <BR />I note that, under clause 3, the Bill introduces new options to allow union members to obtain voting papers and to vote, including workplace voting and electronic balloting.”
“That is a strange usage of "efficient" in the context of building a 10X Economy. Such a disproportionately short notice period and the dearth of information to be provided under the proposed amendments is more likely to disadvantage employers and employees. It could well thwart attempts to reach a negotiated settlement, leading to unnecessary industrial action, with all the consequent loss of income on both sides of the dispute. Surely that is in no one's best interests. While the Member's intention may be to promote the right to take legitimate industrial action, an unnecessarily short notice period may also prevent employers from exercising their legitimate right to seek a court injunction to halt illegal industrial action.”
“Businesses that are unrelated to a dispute but whose workers take part in secondary action could be deprived of their employees' labour and, possibly, their livelihood. I respectfully ask the Member to set out the steps that he has taken to reassure himself and the Assembly that those concerns will be addressed in full. <BR /> <BR />The Member has advised that he shared his legislative proposal with the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission and the Equality Commission for Northern Ireland, and I wonder whether he has received any comment from those bodies. <BR /> <BR />The principle behind clause 2 purports to make taking industrial action more efficient by reducing the information to be provided to employers and reducing notice periods for industrial action from seven to two days.”
“However, there may be one or two Members present whose memories stretch back that far. Does the House really want to roll back the years and return to an era of unregulated industrial action? In addition to the detrimental impact on the economy and society of widespread disruption and increased strike action, the proposal raises serious concerns about human rights. Vulnerable members of society could be deprived of essential goods and services if industrial action were to become more frequent and unpredictable. Workers could come under increased pressure to take action, and so lose wages and, possibly, pension rights, even thought they may not be directly involved in the dispute in question.”
“<BR /> <BR />As good lawmakers, we are all required to be mindful of both parties in the employment relationship, to support the maintenance of that relationship by balancing the needs of our businesses with those of workers, and to consider the impact on wider society and the economy. As such, the Bill gives me cause for concern. I am particularly concerned about the proposal to remove the restrictions on secondary action. Clause 1 seeks to repeal article 102 of the 1995 Order, but I see very little information in the explanatory and financial memorandum on how that article has been problematic or unfair. <BR /> <BR />Of course, the Member and I are too young to remember the dark days of the 1970s, when, as a result of widespread industrial action, the lights went out and rubbish piled up on the streets.”
“I will comment on the Bill's proposal to reduce that notice period further in due course. Finally, GB legislation ensures that employers cannot make an offer to workers for the sole or main purpose of inducing them not to become, or seek to become, a trade union member. In Northern Ireland, that provision is strengthened by article 77A of the Employment Relations (Northern Ireland) Order 2004, which makes it unlawful for an employer to induce workers not to belong to a trade union, not to participate in a union's activities at an appropriate time and not to use a union's services at an appropriate time. I do not intend to roll back any of those important rights. However, it is always good to examine existing legislation to ensure that it still achieves the purposes for which it was intended. For that reason alone, I welcome the debate.”
“I very much value the essential role that trade unions play in supporting employment rights and maintaining good industrial relations. The right to peaceful and legitimate industrial action is a tenet of any free and fair society. Northern Ireland employment law is already more favourable to the promotion of trade union rights than equivalent legislation in England, Scotland and Wales. I will give some examples. <BR /> <BR />In Great Britain, in order for industrial action to be lawful, as well as requiring the majority of those who vote to vote in favour of industrial action, a minimum of 50% of all eligible voters must vote in a ballot. The minimum of eligible voters is not required in Northern Ireland. Further, here, employers must be given one week's notice of lawful industrial action. In GB, it is two weeks' notice.”
“That is real delivery for the Member, and I am happy to have done that through the money that was secured by my party. I have even better news for him: right now, as a result of my party's intervention, 2,982 households have broadband in Mr Allister's constituency as of today. I hope that that is a cause of great rejoicing in North Antrim and, indeed, across Northern Ireland.”
“<BR /> <BR />Individuals who require information on their premises' inclusion or exclusion from Project Stratum should contact my officials via the email address on the DFE website. If their premises are identified as having been incorrectly excluded, my Department will explore directly with the Project Stratum contractor, Fibrus Networks, what options might be available and whether it will be in a position to identify a viable connectivity solution that does not require an immediate public subsidy. If the Member would like to contact me, we can look at those options. <BR /> <BR />I am sure that the Member will also want to congratulate me on being able to deliver for 7,296 of his constituents in North Antrim who will benefit from this.”
“My Department is aware that some coverage claims from broadband suppliers may be susceptible to data anomalies or that, in some cases, those claims may not reflect a commercial supplier's ability to deliver against indicated plans or that a supplier's deployment plans may change That continues to be a source of frustration for my Department, but the target intervention area was defined based on the best data point that was available at the time. <BR /> <BR />We will continue to engage with broadband suppliers, including wireless internet service providers, to identify potentially viable solutions for premises. We realise that commercial roll-out plans sometimes change, but my Department encourages broadband suppliers to stand over commitments made during the Project Stratum open market review.”
“I continue to make the case to the UK Government so that we can get to the position that we all want to be in, which is 100% coverage and high-speed broadband for all.”
“I understand the concerns expressed by some who have missed out on Project Stratum. There are those who have been identified as having a speed of more than 30 megabits per second but do not feel that they are getting that service and feel that they have been excluded. The Member probably falls into that category. I am sorry that I was unable to deliver for my constituent Mr Beggs on this occasion. However, this is where Project Gigabit comes in to make sure that there is an opportunity to use that funding to target those who have been missed out. We are talking about a relatively small number of people who have been left out. In the meantime, there are additional service providers that provide methods other than fibre to get increased broadband speeds. I hope that Mr Beggs is able to avail himself of those in the meantime.”
“It absolutely is important, because, more and more, the connectivity issue is raised with us. I mentioned what foreign direct investors said to me when I met them. It is crucial, in particular, in those rural areas. That is what we are able to deliver. <BR /> <BR />Of course, it is not just in rural areas. We are still able to help in areas that have relatively good broadband provision. The Member's constituency is a good example of that. There has been good connectivity in North Down. However, this will deliver an additional 874 premises that will get access to broadband. That helps for those who have established businesses or are establishing businesses. They should make sure that they take advantage of it.”
“I am sure that there is great joy in Fermanagh and South Tyrone over the 3,398 that already have it as a result of what we have been able to secure.”
“If I could ensure that everybody had it tomorrow, I would do that. Unfortunately, it is not within my power. However, we have set a timetable for it to be carried out. I confirm that we are on track, despite the difficulties that came as a result of the pandemic. We are on course to have, by the end of 2024, all the original properties identified delivered with that high-speed access. In 2025, we will deliver to the additional properties that have been identified but not picked up in earlier phases. <BR /> <BR />Many will be disappointed that it has not happened sooner. I hope that, in the Member's constituency of Fermanagh and South Tyrone, 13,752 properties will be very pleased that they will get it by the end of that period.”
“That was one of the problems that we faced. We relied on data maintained by LPS that was outside our control. The issue became known to us because so many additional properties were identified and brought to our attention. That is why we were able to secure the additional £32 million of funding, and that is why we are now able to access those additional properties. This is not the end of our quest to ensure that more people in Northern Ireland can have access to broadband. I will continue to liaise with the UK Government on Project Gigabit to ensure that, where additional funding becomes available for Northern Ireland, we use it to increase those figures even further.”
“<BR /> <BR />We hear a lot about regional disparity in the House, but we are making sure that we are not just helping cities and urban areas but helping across the board to make Northern Ireland a much more attractive place. Many Members have told me about the issues that they have experienced in struggling to get jobs and investment into their areas. Connectivity is one of the ways in which we can improve investments, jobs and businesses in rural areas. The scheme targets rural areas in particular, and we are seeing the benefits of that being delivered, including to over 1,000 properties in the Member's constituency already.”
“I welcome the Member's words. We have been able to deliver on this and to secure the funding. He is absolutely right to raise the issue of impact on business because, as I said, research has proven that it increases the capability and efficiency of businesses and increases employment. When I was in the Middle East a few weeks ago to talk about why Northern Ireland is such a good place to do business, I did not have to raise the issue, but others raised the issue of our connectivity and Project Stratum with me. Businesses and investors have heard about it, and connectivity, along with talent and skills, is one of the major draws of Northern Ireland.”
“I have heard in my constituency about someone on one side of the road getting access while others do not. We have been able to find solutions or alternatives. If we can do that, I will be more than happy for her to pass the details to me, because our aim in the Department is to make sure that as many people as possible are connected. Additional funding has been provided to increase the capacity and the number of people who can get access to broadband, if we can do that in a simple, straightforward way. It does not make sense to build infrastructure down a lane to one house; if someone else can also benefit from it as well, you are essentially halving the cost of the subsidy. If there are ways in which we can help, I am more than happy to ensure that we do so.”
“My goodness, Mr Deputy Speaker. Sinn Féin are turning into the Tories, it seems. First we hear that public money should not be invested in rural areas in this way, and now we hear that there is no such thing as public money but it is taxpayers' money instead. That is an interesting change to witness from Sinn Féin across the way. <BR /> <BR />The first issue that the Member raised was funding. I agree that the funding came from the UK Government, but it was my party that secured that funding, and, as a result, we are able to deliver those benefits for people across Northern Ireland, including 9,695 people in the Member's constituency, for 4,714 of whom the service has already been delivered. <BR /> <BR />We are keen to hear where there are issues.”
“Of course, we took that report seriously, and, drawing on some of the best practices acknowledged in the NIAO report on Project Stratum, we have identified a requirement for further funding to provide qualifying next generation access. Of course, we continue to monitor the connectivity landscape and take into consideration all available premises data in regard to that. Concerns were raised around the deployment and the tendering process, but my Department is satisfied that, without further funding, those premises would have remained commercially vulnerable. We believe that all of the appropriate processes were followed. Having raised the issue with my officials, I know that they are content that the right steps were taken at every opportunity. Of course, where there is opportunity for us to learn from these, we should do so.”
“<BR /> <BR />I appreciate the Member's sending through the results of the online reviews that were conducted in regard to Fibrus. I believe that that is the internet service provider (ISP), rather than Fibrus Networks, which is operating in Northern Ireland, so I have not had any complaints that I have been made aware of directly about Fibrus, either as the network or the ISP, other than the general cases that we are dealing with. I do not know whether that data was based on the rest of the UK or where it was based, but I am not getting a huge volume of correspondence about that in Northern Ireland. Of course, as I have said before, I hope that, as more and more people get connected, there will be greater competition between providers in Northern Ireland. That is the way in which we drive down costs and improve customer service.”
“First, when properties became eligible, we wrote to individuals and made them aware that they would be able to avail themselves of it for their properties. They will have been made aware when that work was completed. I am happy to find out that information for the Member. I do not know what percentage of properties that were unable to get it before and are now able to get it have signed up, but, on the basis of the conversations that I have had and the discussions that my Department has had with individuals, I expect that percentage to be exceptionally high. For the Member's information, 4,729 properties in his constituency will benefit by the end of the programme. As of today, 1,084 have already been connected.”
“It went through all of the appropriate tendering processes, as she would expect. There was a business case for which all of that information was gathered. The work was done, and it was passed. I am confident that the project is set to do what we planned it to do. She will see the benefit in her constituency through the additional 10,132 properties that will have access to broadband. In fact, her constituency is behind only Fermanagh and South Tyrone and West Tyrone in the total number of properties that will be impacted by the project. As of today, an additional 4,828 properties in her constituency have been connected. I encourage her to ask those residents and businesses in her constituency whether they think that it is worth it, because I think that they will say that it is.”
“Of course, that is a very difficult question for us to answer, because it would have been outside of our control. Had we not been prepared to put in the funding to enable that to happen, it would have been left entirely to private investment, which might never have come along. We could have been waiting for a very long time — possibly forever — for that essential infrastructure to be put in place, so it is the right question for the Member to ask. <BR /> <BR />I am pleased that, by the end of 2025, an additional 13,572 premises will be connected in her constituency. An additional 3,398 premises in Fermanagh and South Tyrone are connected today because we took action and were prepared to combine the public investment that we secured with the private investment from Fibrus. That is making a change today.”
“However, thanks to the investment that we have provided, the infrastructure is in place, which means that competition can happen. We have been able to include 2,829 properties in his constituency that did not previously have access to broadband. Not only will they now be able to access broadband, but, thanks to the infrastructure that has been put in place and the competition that I hope will follow, they will get cheaper prices too.”
“I do not know whether that is a U-turn from the Member. If it is, I welcome it. What the Member said in the Committee was fairly clear. He questioned whether we should use public money to fund broadband improvements in rural areas. Neither I nor my officials believe that those improvements would have been sorted out through the market and private investment. If he has changed his mind, I am delighted that he has come on board and realised the importance of the DUP investment in infrastructure. <BR /> <BR />He referred to the different costs between urban and rural areas. That is something that can now be addressed. As I said in my statement, I hope that there will be increased competition, because that is the way in which we will drive down prices. I recognise that there are differentials in costs right now.”
“Benefits highlighted in the report include increased employment; the creation of jobs; increased business turnover; efficiency gains; improved e-learning capabilities; enhanced school admin processes; improved e-health capabilities, including video-enabled consultations; and improvements to subjective well-being, particularly among older age groups. <BR /> <BR />As Project Stratum fulfils its objectives, and as my Department further develops opportunities to improve the broadband connectivity landscape in Northern Ireland wherever it is needed, we can look forward to the benefits that a better-connected society will bring to those who work and live in Northern Ireland, thanks to publicly funded initiatives such as Project Stratum. I commend the statement to the House.”
“My Department will continue to engage with colleagues in DCMS to ensure that Northern Ireland benefits from investment in gigabit-capable infrastructure in predominantly rural areas, where it is evident that commercial investment is not viable. <BR /> <BR />Regardless of where people live and work in Northern Ireland, I believe that they should have access to the best broadband services available. A recent Ipsos MORI report that was prepared for DCMS and published in 2021 looked at the benefits of access to improved broadband services through extensive engagement with businesses and local bodies.”
“<BR /> <BR />As a result of our continued public investment in broadband infrastructure, the connectivity gap in Northern Ireland will be all but closed at superfast levels, with all premises to benefit from new infrastructure under Project Stratum having access to gigabit-capable fibre to the premises broadband. That means that Northern Ireland will be well placed to benefit from further government initiatives, including Project Gigabit, the UK Government's plan to bring full-fibre and gigabit-capable broadband to every home and business across the UK as soon as possible. <BR /> <BR />By building on the momentum that has resulted from both commercial and publicly funded investment in broadband infrastructure, Northern Ireland has the opportunity, once again, to lead on broadband connectivity.”
“<BR /> <BR />That process was state aid-assured and approved by the Building Digital UK (BDUK) assurance board in early December, and the Department of Finance granted approval in late December. The portal that is managed by the contractor for Project Stratum will continue to be updated to reflect those changes, along with build plans and timelines. The public can go online at www.hyperfastni.com for information on continued deployment plans. <BR /> <BR />The deployment of the new full-fibre network infrastructure to reach all 85,000 premises now within Project Stratum will continue across four extended quarters of network build, with Fibrus Networks expected to complete deployment to some of the most hard-to-reach premises by March 2025.”
“More than 10,000 fibre poles have been planted, and 2,000 kilometres of fibre cable have been installed, despite challenges to working conditions that the contractor and its subcontractors have faced during the pandemic. That is a remarkable achievement when compared with comparable projects in other parts of the UK or Ireland. <BR /> <BR />The additional 8,500 premises that my Department has now brought into the project's scope include 2,500 harder-to-reach properties that, owing to the exhaustion of funding, were not part of the original contract, plus a further 6,000 eligible premises in Project Stratum's state aid-compliant postcode areas, which were identified through the project team's ongoing engagement with LPS colleagues, following the further interrogation of premises data held in the Pointer data set.”
“<BR /> <BR />The broadband connectivity gap is now closing, thanks in large part to Project Stratum. Although we are still behind the rest of the UK, 91% of premises here now have access to superfast broadband services that deliver speeds of 30 Mb per second or higher. In the past year, superfast access in rural areas has increased from 67% to 70% owing mainly to the implementation phase of Project Stratum. <BR /> <BR />To date, Fibrus Networks has completed infrastructure deployment work to over 22,000 premises. All scheduled builds in seven areas for this quarter are on track to be delivered in line with deployment targets.”
“The broadband connectivity figures for Northern Ireland paint an improving picture. According to Ofcom’s latest data, Northern Ireland now has the highest coverage of high-speed broadband services in the UK, with three quarters of homes being able to access gigabit-capable broadband. That is a result of significant commercial investment from telecommunications providers such as BT Openreach, Virgin Media, and Fibrus Networks. <BR /> <BR />Commercial deployment of gigabit-capable infrastructure, regarded as the gold standard, has, however, been focused mainly on our urban centres. Ofcom's figures in its latest 'Connected Nations' report, published in December, indicate that, for urban areas, gigabit-capable broadband is available to 76% of premises, but the figure drops to 36% for rural areas.”