Digital skills no use without decent broadband access - Farron

South Lakes MP Tim Farron has welcomed plans to expand digital skills training, set out in the government's digital strategy launched today. However, he has pointed out that digital skills will not help to boost the economy without access to decent broadband.

The government's digital strategy includes plans to offer digital skills to millions of individuals, charities and businesses by 2020.

However, government data released last summer shows that in Tim's constituency of Westmorland and Lonsdale, less than half of the broadband connections have access to speeds of over 10 Mbps. The average download speed was just 14.7 Mbps.

Tim said: "The government is right to recognise that digital skills are vital for boosting economic growth and jobs. However, it goes without saying that digital skills alone are no use without access to a decent broadband connection. Residents and businesses in rural areas like ours deserve better. The government should invest urgently in improving rural broadband speeds so that everyone can benefit from these schemes, not just those in big cities."