A NORTH Yorkshire entrepreneur has urged the Government to follow Wales' lead and offer grants for small firms and households in broadband blackspots.

In June, Gerald McDonald, of Old Hall Farm, Gatenby, near Northallerton used an interview with The Northern Echo to invite his local MP to see how the Tooway satellite link had helped boost his global cleaning business.

Last week Richmond MP William Hague arrived at the farm for talks. Mr Hague came hot foot from addressing the Cyberspace Conference in London, where items such as online security and the economic and social benefits of the internet were on the agenda.

"It was a busy week for William Hague," noted Mr McDonald. "He went from Australia, to cyberspace and then ended the week on a high with a trip to Bedale. We really appreciated him taking the time to come and see the difference this system has made to our business."

During the talks Mr Hague reiterated his pre-election pledge to deliver superfast broadband to the Dales by 2016 under a scheme being piloted by North Yorkshire broadband company NYnet. Mr McDonald, however, said rural businesses should not have to wait for the roll out to reach them when the likes of the Tooway system was up and running. He called for the Coaltion to consider adopting the Welsh Assemblys initiative which offers households and businesses grants of up to 1,000 to buy alternative broadband solutions where councils and telecomms companies have not been able to provide a service.

"To be fair to Mr Hague he didnt dismiss the idea and he has promised to look into it," Mr McDonald added. "What I want is for people to stop being blinkered about this matter. Rather than handing NYnet millions of pounds to deliver this why not empower local people and let them find their own solution?" Earlier this year Mr McDonald signed up to the Tooway service to boost his contracting business, HydroBlast, which uses high-pressure water jets for a wide range of applications - from removing graffiti to cutting concrete.

He has also launched a satellite dish installation service for businesses and domestic users in his local area.

Critics of satellite broadband links have said that the technology cannot offer the speed or reliability delivered by fibre optic connections.