32 GEORGE FREEMAN MP
www.georgefreeman.co.uk
East Anglian ‘Digital Divide’ Business Campaign meets Digital Economy Minister “Digital Divide” Alliance of East Anglian businesses to lobby Digital Economy Minister, Ed Vaizey MP, with a proposal for a new scheme to accelerate broadband and mobile signal to the most rural areas The £1.8m proposal would see most rural residents given a Voucher to allow them to purchase broadband from alternative local providers to BT, fund a network of WiFi Broadband masts and a new ‘Roving Rural Sim’ which would allow rural phone users to migrate between networks at no charge, dramatically improving the signal. The proposal, led by Anglia Farmers, would see thousands of rural communities
and businesses getting fast broadband and digital signal in months rather than years. The meeting follows three highly successful Broadband Summits I have led over the last six months bringing together rural businesses, community groups, parish councils, and the NFU, CLA, and Countryside Alliance.
For far too long rural areas like ours have been condemned by some as backwaters. But with faster digital communications, I believe we can unlock a “Rural Renaissance”. That’s why I first launched the Digital Divide Campaign, bringing together business leaders and campaign groups across East Anglia to secure faster broadband in our area. To do that, we need a voucher to empower local
communities to find solutions themselves, which the Minister yesterday was very supportive of, and has asked us to work up. Yesterday was a major step forward in accelerating 21st Century digital communications for our most rural areas.
Community Led Plan At Blenheim Grange Housing Estate I have long taken an interest in rural planning policy and believe that the Blenheim Grange Estate in Carbrooke illustrates how plans for housing a large population can go astray That’s why I was delighted to convene a meeting of all the interested parties: from the Police to Sure Start, the local Primary School to local Churches, one of the local Housing Assocations and of course the local Councillors, Residents Association and members Carbrooke Parish Council. Together we set out our aims to see a proper Community Centre and proper facilities installed on the estate as soon as possible.
Conference Diary 2014 A packed schedule at the Conservative Party Conference this year This year I have had a packed schedule at the Conservative Party Conference, talking at over twenty events about innovation and enterprise in healthcare and for SMEs. On Sunday, I spoke at a joint event with the Institute of Directors and Open Europe on how we need to reform and renegotiate our relationship with Europe to deliver for Britain. Having been an active member of the Fresh Start Group campaigning for EU reform, and recently writing a report on how the EU affects the UK Life Science sector, I think the Prime Minister’s landmark strategy for renegotiation followed by a
November 2014
referendum provides us with a unique opportunity to reshape our relationship with Europe. I also spoke at a Bright Blue dinner on making Britain an ‘Enterprise Nation’, backing small and medium sized businesses to grow and export to the fastest-growing emerging markets. As a Minister at the Department of Business, Innovation and Skills, and having spent fifteen years founding over ten new companies before coming to Parliament, I am passionate about the role SMEs play in training, job creation
and economic growth.On Monday, I spoke at an Alzheimer’s Society event on ‘Where next for dementia?’, where I highlighted the role of charities and the importance of breaking down the silos between research, treatment and care. Having been involved in the G8 Dementia Summit, and co-ordinated the Life Science Strategy in 2011, I know the progress we are making in combating this terrible disease and the work we still have to do. Later, I spoke about ‘Innovation and Intellectual Property’ at a party business day and then addressed conference in the main hall about how
Life Sciences is a central plank to this Government’s long-term economic plan. I was also delighted to be part of a roundtable at a Science Council event, talking about how research and innovation adds to our national wealth and creates jobs all over the country. My final event on Monday was speaking at a Social Market Foundation dinner on how we can create an integrated patient experience, using data and electronic patient records, something I have previously worked on in my Patient Data Bill I introduced to the House earlier this year.