Millions of Britons will have been relieved to hear the news today that the Government have taken the decision to put access to the Internet on the same level as access to water, electricity and a telephone. This is being done by extending the scope of what is known as the Universal Service Obligation. A consultation on how to implement this will be held early next year. I have long argued that given the planned investment in HS2 it was inexplicable why more was not being done to roll out broadband to everyone. There are several areas in Bury North which will benefit and I will be holding the Government to account,as ever, to ensure they do.

Reliable and efficient internet access is already seen as an essential part of daily life by those who have it and it must be right that broadband access should be made universally available to everyone.