Sectarianism law could be repealed

TENS OF thousands of businesses and homes across the UK are set to benefit from a £67m investment in faster internet connections, the Chancellor has announced.

West Yorkshire and York are already pilot areas for the Nationwide Gigabit Broadband Voucher Scheme (GBVS), which provides vouchers worth up to £3,000 for a small or medium sized business or £500 to residents to help with the costs of connecting to full fibre broadband.

The scheme, part of a wider government plan to get more homes and businesses connected to full fibre broadband, is now being rolled out nationwide. Around 1,000 vouchers have been handed out in the four areas chosen as pilots in 2017.

It comes after it was announced in the Spring Statement on Tuesday that North Yorkshire will get £15m from a government fund to connect hundreds of public sector sites to high-speed fibre broadband.

Chancellor Philip Hammond, who is in Bradford today to launch the scheme, said: “We’re backing Britain’s small businesses by investing £67m to bring fullfibre broadband to more businesses up and down the country.

“This means faster, more reliable broadband access as we build the digital infrastructure we need to make our economy fit for the future.”

A controversial law aimed at tackling sectarian behaviour at football is expected to be repealed in Holyrood.

Labour MSP James Kelly’s Bill to scrap the legislation is likely to be passed in its final stage at the Scottish Parliament.