Written question asked by Fraser Kemp (Labour) on Wednesday, 14 October 2009, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Friday, 16 October 2009. It was answered by Stephen Timms (Labour) on Monday, 26 October 2009 on behalf of the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills.

Broadband

Question: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills what recent estimate he has made of the number of people living in (a) the City of Sunderland and (b) England who have access to broadband internet at home.

Answer: This Department has not made a recent estimate of the number of homes with broadband access in Sunderland and does not have available information on broadband at home at nation level. Over 99 per cent. of all telephone exchanges in the UK are now broadband enabled, including those in the Sunderland area. Reception of reliable broadband may depend on factors such as distance from the exchange and other factors such as interference from home wiring.

Secondary information