Jamie Stone to meet with Government to discuss social tariffs for mobile and broadband consumers
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Far north MP Jamie Stone is trying to ensure that households are "not paying more than they need to on broadband costs".
After writing a letter along with 14 Liberal Democrat Peers, Mr Stone, has secured a meeting with Julia Lopez, Media and Digital Infrastructure Minister, to discuss mandatory broadband social tariffs.
Social tariffs, which offer discounts on broadband costs for vulnerable households, are only currently offered by some providers. But changes to the law that came into force last year mean that the Government now has the ability to force broadband providers to offer these cheaper deals.
In Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross, social tariffs have the potential to see more than 7,000 households benefiting from discounts on their broadband.
Mr Stone, the Liberal Democrat MP for Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross, commented: "I want to see all broadband providers offering universal social tariffs, and I want the Government to exercise their power to make this mandatory. The recent rule change makes this very easy.
"With rural areas already struggling from patchy coverage, ever-increasing energy costs, and higher bills from spending more time at home during the pandemic, discounts on broadband could make a huge difference.
"I look forward to meeting with the Minister so we can get the ball rolling on this and ensure that households aren't paying more than they need to on broadband costs."
