Alex Brewer

The Government recognises that secure, suitable digital devices are essential for accessing services and participating in digital life.

Through the Digital Inclusion Action Plan, we have already donated more than 29,000 devices through signatories to our IT Reuse for Good Charter and our multi-departmental device donation pilot. Our pilot is helping us understand how government devices can be effectively reused, informing wider work with councils, charities, community groups and businesses to develop sustainable approaches to donation, lending and reuse.

Project Gigabit is the Government’s programme to deliver gigabit-capable broadband to UK premises that are not included in suppliers' commercial plans. This supports the objective of reaching at least 99% gigabit coverage of UK premises by 2032.

Building Digital UK (BDUK) collects and analyses information from suppliers about their completed and planned broadband infrastructure to identify which premises are likely to require public subsidy to receive a gigabit-capable connection. Informed by this process, BDUK works with broadband suppliers to deliver gigabit capable connections to premises that might otherwise miss out.

There is currently no mechanism for communities to contribute financially towards the delivery of gigabit capable broadband through Project Gigabit contracts.

In some circumstances, broadband suppliers may consider self-dig or self-contribution options, where residents are willing to undertake some civil works to help reduce delivery costs. However, such arrangements are a commercial matter for the supplier and would be subject to technical, safety and contractual considerations.

The Government is committed to ensuring 99% of premises receive gigabit coverage by 2032. According to Ofcom’s Connected Nations Spring Report, 88% of UK premises can already access a gigabit-capable connection.

As of the end of June 2026, over 1.46 million premises in hard-to-reach communities across the UK had been upgraded to gigabit-capable broadband through government-funded programmes.

Project Gigabit is the Government’s programme to deliver gigabit-capable broadband to UK premises that are not included in suppliers' commercial plans. Following a recent consultation with suppliers on their capability and interest in further delivery through Project Gigabit in the areas previously covered by CityFibre’s contract, a procurement is now underway with Openreach for a new contract to provide coverage to as many of the remaining premises as possible in East Hampshire.

We recognise that reliance on older, copper-based networks can affect service reliability for some users. Comparatively, gigabit broadband (primarily delivered via full fibre connections) offers faster speeds, improved reliability and futureproof connectivity. This is why Government is committed to ensuring at least 99% of premises receive gigabit broadband coverage by 2032.

Technologies such as fixed wireless access and satellite broadband are widely available across the UK, including in rural communities, and can provide alternative options for broadband connectivity for those reliant on copper-based connections.

In a ‘live’ activation scenario such as this, pre-planned public communications such as those carried out ahead of the national test in September 2025 are difficult to ensure. Please be assured that we are learning from each activation.

As far as possible, the Cabinet Office engages with the media ahead of the transmission of an Alert to provide notice to the public.

It is not possible to gather data on the national opt out rate for Emergency Alerts. This is because Emergency Alerts use cell broadcast technology, which is “one-way” and does not provide any feedback to the government or Mobile Network Operators about you, your location or whether an individual handset has received an Emergency Alert.

The activation was technically successful, with no widespread problems reported by Mobile Network Operators.

Every Emergency Alert is carefully coordinated with responding public bodies and agencies. This tool is only used in emergency scenarios, and where the need is greatest. The Cabinet Office remains committed to reviewing every alert request on a case-by-case basis.

Protecting victims of domestic abuse is always our priority. Both national tests of the Emergency Alerting capability were accompanied by a proactive public communications campaign informing the public of how to opt out of alerts, if they wished to do so.

This included extensive engagement with charities and groups representing vulnerable communities, such as Refuge. Advice on how to opt-out of emergency alerts is available at all times of GOV.UK/alerts, and is included in the websites of a number of charities and organisations that support victims of domestic abuse.

In a ‘live’ activation scenario such as this, such pre-planned public communications are difficult to ensure. As far as possible, the Cabinet Office engages with the media ahead of the transmission of an Alert to provide notice to the public.

The Cabinet Office recommends that victims of domestic abuse with concealed phones consider opting-out of receiving alerts either by turning off Emergency Alerts in their phone settings or by switching their phone off when it is not in use.

The delivery of compensation is a matter for the Infected Blood Compensation Authority (IBCA). The IBCA Framework Document, published in March 2025, sets out the timelines agreed between IBCA and Cabinet Office; namely for the bulk of infected people to be paid no later than the end of next year and the bulk of affected people to be paid no later than the end of 2029. The Government has been clear that these dates are not targets for delivery, but ‘backstops’.

In July 2025, I asked for a review of IBCA's delivery of the scheme to ensure it is progressing as quickly as possible. This was supported by the National Infrastructure and Service Transformation Authority, NISTA, and led by an independent reviewer. The review began in August 2025 and ended in October 2025. I published the report on 30 October 2025, and you can find it here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/infected-blood-compensation-authority-independent-review/infected-blood-compensation-authority-independent-review.

The review of IBCA’s delivery of the Scheme, supported by the National Infrastructure and Service Transformation Authority, found that IBCA has made “substantial early progress” toward delivering compensation to the victims of infected blood. IBCA has now opened the service for all cohorts. As it did with the first group of people making a claim, IBCA is now building a service for all cohorts.This approach means that the numbers will initially be lower, but I expect that, as with the first group, those numbers will rise exponentially as progress is made.

The Replacing Animals in Science strategy includes a target to reduce the use of dogs in dedicated pharmacokinetic studies for human medicines by at least 35% by 2030, where scientifically justified and supported by validated alternatives. Progress is being supported through work with regulators, industry and research partners to develop, validate and increase uptake of alternative methods. The Government has allocated up to £2 million through Innovate UK to support the development of human-relevant approaches to pharmacokinetic and safety testing, including projects aimed at reducing reliance on dogs in medicines development.

The government is aware of concerns about fraudulent locksmiths advertising and the harm it causes consumers and legitimate locksmith businesses. The Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act 2024 prohibits unfair commercial practices, including misleading actions and omissions, and clarifies that online platforms must exercise professional diligence in relation to consumer transactions promoted or made on their platforms.

The department is engaging with relevant stakeholders (including the Master Locksmiths Association) and enforcement bodies to better understand the issue and consider how fraudulent practices can best be addressed.

The government is aware of concerns about fraudulent locksmiths advertising and the harm it causes consumers and legitimate locksmith businesses. The Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act 2024 prohibits unfair commercial practices, including misleading actions and omissions, and clarifies that online platforms must exercise professional diligence in relation to consumer transactions promoted or made on their platforms.

The department is engaging with relevant stakeholders (including the Master Locksmiths Association) and enforcement bodies to better understand the issue and consider how fraudulent practices can best be addressed.

Shared Parental Leave and Pay gives parents flexibility to choose a caring arrangement that works for them in their child’s first year of life.

Employers may decide to offer more than the statutory entitlement, for instance by enhancing the statutory rate of pay, and we encourage them to do so whenever possible.

However, we recognise that more can be done to support working parents and to support employers understanding and implementation of parental leave entitlements. Last year the government launched the Parental Leave and Pay Review, which is considering all current entitlements. Findings are expected in early 2027.

Retail plays a vital role in communities such as North East Hampshire, supporting local jobs, access to essential goods and vibrant high streets, and we recognise the importance of sustaining this provision. Local retail provision is ultimately determined by commercial decisions of individual companies. However, through the Retail Sector Council and wider high street support, we are helping retailers adapt and continue serving communities, including areas affected by store closures.

We are delivering permanently lower business rates multipliers for over 750,000 retail, hospitality and leisure properties, backed by a £4.3 billion support package over three years, including transitional relief to protect businesses from large bill increases following revaluation. Later this year we will bring forward a new High Streets Strategy, to help reinvigorate our communities.

Tackling affordability is this government’s number one priority. The Government acted at last year’s Budget by taking on average £150 of costs off energy bills, with those decisions now factored into bills for the years to come

The recent rise in the price cap announced by Ofgem will be deeply concerning news for families. That is why we are doubling down on our mission for clean power to get us off the rollercoaster of fossil fuel prices and onto clean, homegrown power to bring down bills for good

In addition, around 6 million households in Britain will have benefitted from our expanded £150 Warm Home Discount this winter, which will remain in place for the rest of the decade. We understand that the developments in the Middle East are concerning: we will continue to monitor the situation ahead of the winter and plan for all contingencies.

The Government is working closely with the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA), which is reviewing the heating oil market, including pricing. We will carefully consider the CMA’s report and recommendations to ensure a fair outcome for consumers, and we are clear that we will not tolerate unfair practices or exploitative behaviour in the market. The Government recognises the pressures that price volatility can place on rural and off‑grid households and continues to monitor prices closely. In addition, we are providing £53 million of targeted support for low‑income heating oil households.

The latest fuel poverty statistics estimate that 13.8% of rural households in England were in fuel poverty in 2025, compared with 7.2% in semi-rural areas and 9.2% in urban areas. These estimates predate impacts of the conflict in the Middle East.

In March, the Chancellor announced £53 million for low income families, who heat their homes with oil to help tackle surging prices, alongside a commitment to new regulation of this sector. The Government will continue to monitor the situation ahead of the winter and plan for all contingencies. Homeowners living in properties heated by oil and LPG are also eligible for £9,000 off the cost of a heat pump.

Government is aware of the issues facing some heating oil customers and is committed to ensuring they are effectively protected from future fossil fuel price spikes.

We welcome the CMA’s comprehensive examination of the heating oil industry, and we will work closely with the CMA to understand their findings and develop options to increase consumer protections in this sector.

This will include considering how regulation can give consumers more confidence.

The Government recognises there is significant potential to deploy solar across the public estate, which is why we are intensifying efforts to build renewables on public land and the built estate.

A new Cabinet Office-chaired Taskforce will bring department’s together to assess where renewables can be built and support them bringing forward viable projects.

In addition, along with Great British Energy, the Government has invested up to £255 million in solar energy installations and associated technologies on public buildings, supporting around 250 schools, over 270 NHS sites and around 15 military sites across the country.

The data protection fees fund the ICO's statutory responsibilities under data protection and privacy and electronic communications legislation. There are three levels of fee payable based on organisational size. Micro organisations, including sole traders, fall within the lowest tier and are required to pay £52 annually, or £47 if payment is made by direct debit. Around 90% (circa 1.1 million) of fee payers sit in this tier.

The ICO plays a vital role in helping all data controllers, including the smallest businesses, meet their data protection obligations. Sustainable funding is essential to ensuring that the ICO can maintain and expand its support for smaller organisations, delivering greater regulatory certainty, lower compliance costs and better value for money.

The government considers that the current fees are proportionate, with the smallest data controllers paying a modest amount. The government will keep the Funding Regulations, including fee levels and the scope of existing exemptions, under review to ensure they remain fit for purpose.

We are committed to ensuring 99% of premises receive gigabit coverage by 2032. According to Ofcom’s Connected Nations reporting, as of January 2026, 84% of premises in the North East Hampshire constituency already have access to a gigabit-capable broadband connection.

For the remaining premises that are not in scope of suppliers’ commercial plans, Building Digital UK (BDUK) is working with broadband suppliers to identify coverage solutions as quickly as possible. A market engagement consultation for suppliers was published on 1 June to confirm supplier interest in the remaining premises in Hampshire and other areas of south-east and central England.

Protecting children online is a priority. Through our recent consultation, we heard directly from 14,000 children, including those who are often underrepresented such as children with learning disabilities, who, according to research, encounter disproportionately more harm online.

On 15 June, the government published a progress statement announcing a ban on social media services from providing their services to under 16s. We recognise the need to support those with additional needs. The government is continuing to strengthen wider support for children, including access to youth services and enrichment activities in schools and beyond the classroom, backed by funding through the national youth strategy. Our approach will reduce serious harms while preserving safe, positive online spaces such as access to learning resources. We are also helping to connect trusted adults with young people, including funding mentoring through The King’s Trust.

Children have the strongest protections under the Online Safety Act. Its duties apply to AI-generated content in the same way as other content, requiring regulated services to tackle illegal AI content and protect children from harmful AI content on their platforms.

In March, the Government launched a consultation and National Conversation on children’s digital wellbeing, seeking views on harms (and mitigations) linked to AI chatbots and social media. This closes on 26 May.

The government is also strengthening the criminal law, through the Crime and Policing Bill we will criminalise deliberately modifying or adapting AI models to generate child sexual abuse material, and bring unregulated AI chatbot services into scope.

All 3G networks in the UK have now been switched off. EE and Vodafone switched off 3G in February 2024, Three in November 2025, and VMO2 in February 2026. Ofcom’s expectation of the Mobile Network Operators (MNOs) was that they would provide broadly equivalent levels of coverage after switching off 3G. As reported in its 2025 Connected Nations report, Ofcom has received very few complaints from customers about the 3G switch-off. The mobile industry has not reported to Ofcom any significant disruption.

The 3G switch-off released spectrum to be reallocated to improve the newer and more efficient 4G and 5G networks.

The MNOs have committed significant investment which aligns with the Government's ambition of all populated areas being able to access higher quality standalone 5G by 2030. We continue to work with network operators to ensure this investment translates into benefits for communities right across the UK. In parallel, we are continuing work to identify and address barriers to deployment where it is practical to do so.