9. Will the Cabinet Secretary make a statement on the delivery of superfast broadband in Swansea East? OAQ52343

Yes. Although we don't hold information specifically for Swansea East, under the Superfast Cymru project we have provided access to fast fibre broadband to 25,115 premises across all parts of Swansea, equating to just over 93 per cent completion. The average download speed across Swansea is 83.16 Mbps.

Can I thank the leader of the house for that answer? I won't ask what the upload speed is because that will probably be lower. The point I wanted to raise with the leader of the house is a key one. We've got a very high provision, but we haven't got a very high take-up. What is the Welsh Government doing to promote take-up by those who have access to superfast broadband, but either don't know it's available, or who have decided they don't think that they perhaps need it? I will just quote you from a few moments ago: it is a basic service, not an add-on only for the rich. So, what can be done to promote it to get more people using superfast broadband, because it would be of great benefit to them and their families? 

Yes, I agree entirely. Since October 2016, we've been delivering a regional level communications and marketing programme across Wales to encourage take-up of superfast broadband for all the reasons that Mike Hedges has just pointed out, but also for the reason that we're still getting a gain share, so the more money we get back from the gain share, because we're well over the 21 per cent take-up, the better, because the Government has pledged to reinvest all of that gain share back into the infrastructure. So, it's very important on both sides of that equation.

The phase of advertising communications take-up began in April of this year and includes a blended approach of PR, advertising, events and social media. I don't know if the Member has seen that we have a big lightning bolt that says, 'Superfast has arrived in your area' and it comes and parks itself on village greens. It was at the Hay festival and it's at the Royal Welsh and it's been in various parts of Wales. It's very striking and youngsters in particular like it and they're attracted to it, so we can use that as the hook to get people to do it.

Fibre services take-up is currently 44 per cent, so we're well on course to reach our target of 50 per cent by 2023, which is the gain share. This is an interesting curve for new technology. We all perhaps think that less than half of people taking it up is very poor, but if you look at technology curves, which I know the Member is familiar with, actually, it's well in advance of the curve for most take-ups of new technology, which underlines the point I make about it being an essential infrastructure already in its early history and not the luxury product that the UK Government still persist in thinking it is.

Thank you very much, leader of the house.