Victoria Atkins spoke up for Louth & Horncastle in a packed debate in Westminster regarding the roll out of superfast broadband throughout the country.
The debate was moved by Matt Warman, MP for Boston and Skegness, to highlight the importance of securing access to superfast broadband in Lincolnshire and beyond.
During the debate Victoria made the point that parts of Lincolnshire are very poorly served, stating:
“My hon. Friend and I have the pleasure of representing the east of Lincolnshire, which stretches from the sweeping coastline across to the rich agricultural fens and the rolling hills of the Wolds. The only cloud in the sky is the fact that BT tells me—with some pride, it seems—that overall coverage in Louth & Horncastle is 22%. Can we please remember that, when we talk about 95% coverage, that figure is very much an aspiration in Louth & Horncastle?”
Following the debate Victoria said,
“It is simply not acceptable that so many of my constituents do not have adequate broadband access.
I have spoken to residents throughout Louth & Horncastle and I am told repeatedly how this poor provision negatively affects the quality of life for my constituents.
This lack of access affects the performance of local businesses at a time when we are working hard to create a thriving economy here in Louth & Horncastle. It also affects the quality of life for residents who are unable to access services such as online banking and emails which are important in modern day life.
I will work with the other Lincolnshire MPs to push for improvements to the service provided by BT to ensure our county has the provision it deserves.”