Part of 2. Questions to the Leader of the House – in the Senedd at 2:54 pm on 28 February 2018.
Thank you very much. My question today comes directly from the clerk of Bodedern council. I ask it because it's pertinent for so many of our rural communities, and I'm grateful to the clerk for contacting me. I will read:
Significant problems with broadband connectivity exist in a number of areas of the community, which is having a very negative impact on many individuals, families and businesses. For example, many farmers have to send their grant applications online, but I'm aware of a number of farmers who are unable to do this because of the broadband connection, and because of this they are disadvantaged. They have attended open sessions to express their concerns, but to date they have only received the response that their concerns have been noted, and haven't received any offer of improvement or any plan for the future.
There is then a question for me, which I pass on to you: can you confirm what you suggest should be done to assist rural communities that are suffering these negative impacts?