Government questioned on roaming charges in the event of no deal
7 February 2019 (updated on 7 February 2019)
Shadow Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, Tom Watson, used an urgent question to question the Government on roaming charges in the event of a no deal Brexit.
Concerns have risen over the possibility that in the event of no deal Brexit, mobile phone roaming charged will be re-introduced to people travelling in Europe.
The Government have stated that: "In the event that we leave the EU without a deal, the costs that EU mobile operators would be able to charge UK operators for providing roaming services would no longer be regulated after March 2019. This would mean that surcharge-free roaming when you travel to the EU could no longer be guaranteed. This would include employees of UK companies travelling in the EU for business."
DCMS Secretary Jeremy Wright told MPs;
"leaving without a deal would not prevent UK operators making and honouring commercial arrangements with mobile operators in the EU and beyond the EU, to deliver the services their customers expect, including roaming arrangements".
Tom Watson followed up on his question by criticising the Secretary of State's approach on this issue. Referring to the laying of the Mobile Roaming (EU Exit) Regulations 2019 earlier in the week, Watson said:
"This announcement shows once again that this particular Secretary of State in this particular Government will cave to the lobbying might of telecoms companies, rather than listen to the voice of consumers who are set to lose out."
- Watch Parliament TV: roaming charges in the event of a no deal Brexit
- Read Commons Hansard: mobile roaming charges
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