My Lords, I congratulate the noble Baroness, Lady Merron, on her presentation of this amendment. It is an elegant composite of the discussions we had in Committee, and that is why I was very happy to put my name to it. We have heard some compelling speeches and I suggest to the Minister that they have come from 360 degrees in this Chamber, which generally indicates a klaxon for any government Minister. This really is an issue.
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In Committee my noble friend Lord Clement-Jones highlighted that we are in a sort of loop with telecoms legislation. There are continual consultations and changes going on, because we do not get this right. The Government have to be clear that this is not right. We have to find a way of getting it to the right place.
Looking forward, I am sure that one of the arguments the Government will counter with is that somehow this will create a hiatus in progress. The noble Earl, Lord Devon, refuted that clearly. It would not create a hiatus if landowners and landlords were getting the right money and the right deal. That is what is creating and will create a hiatus in this process.
The second part of the amendment seeks to map progress against targets. It would be good for the Minister to undertake to publish what the target is. In her conference speech we heard the new Prime Minister highlight this as an important issue and one of her engines of growth. We have heard all sorts of targets and seen all sorts of revisions of the targets. Can the Minister—either at the Dispatch Box, or I would be amenable to him writing to us and putting that letter in the Library—set out the current gigabit installation target, the date for reaching that target and the current planned government investment in delivering that target? This review process will be able to measure this legislation and this progress against those targets.
Given the current Prime Minister’s emphasis on this rollout and the commitment that I am sure we shall hear from the Minister, I am sure the Government will welcome this amendment, accept it and take it on board. It obviously reflects the mood of your Lordships’ House. If by some chance the Minister decides not to and the noble Baroness, Lady Merron, and colleagues decide to push this to a vote, I can assure your Lordships’ House that we on these Benches will support it.