Broadband: Cleveland

Dr. Kumar
To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform how many households in Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland constituency had access to broadband services (a) in 2004 and (b) at the latest date for which figures are available.

Mr. McFadden
The matter raised is the responsibility of the independent regulator, the Office of Communications (Ofcom), which is accountable to Parliament rather than Ministers. Accordingly, I have asked the chief executive of Ofcom to reply directly to the hon. Member. Copies of the chief executive’s letter will be placed in the Libraries of both Houses.