Minister of State for Digital Matt Hancock MP joined Richmond MP Rishi Sunak to see the benefits pioneering superfast broadband is bringing to businesses and residents.
The two MPs visited Ellerton on Swale, near Scorton, where superfast broadband has arrived in the last couple of months.
The village illustrates how a community can be remote even though it is not far from a main road or larger settlement. Mr Hancock and Mr Sunak met residents and businesses.
Mr Sunak said: “Along with other rural MPs, I have consistently fought in Parliament to extend our superfast broadband network. A good internet connection is vital for families and businesses in cities and rural areas.”
For the next phase of Superfast North Yorkshire, the County Council will invest more than £12m from its funds, supported by a further £7.3m from the Government’s Broadband Delivery UK (BDUK) and £1m in European funding.
Councillor Carl Les, Leader of the County Council, who invited Mr Hancock to see the work being done in the county, said: “We have made the most progress of all the organisations that are part of the BDUK programme and have the best track record.
“It’s a priority for us to make North Yorkshire an even better place to live and do business. Superfast broadband also benefits education, as, increasingly, pupils and students need the internet for their schoolwork and studies.
“We are well placed to achieve our target coverage of between 95 and 96 per cent of premises and we applaud the public of North Yorkshire for their fantastic uptake of superfast broadband, which shows how important it is for rural communities that want to be sustainable. For many businesses and residents, superfast broadband is a way of achieving that sustainability.
“However, we realise there is still work to do, including investment to target communities that don’t currently have coverage. In places that aren’t viable for commercial providers, we have stepped in, going beyond our statutory obligations, because we are committed to helping our most isolated residents and businesses to get a good-quality connection.”
Minister for Digital Matt Hancock said: “Our rollout of superfast broadband has already reached another 165,000 homes and businesses with Superfast North Yorkshire.
“However, more needs to be done. More than £20m is now being invested in taking superfast speeds to more local premises, helping make sure people have the fast, reliable and affordable broadband that they need for the digital age.”