Asked by: Blake Stephenson (Conservative - Mid Bedfordshire)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what steps her Department is taking to support people in areas of poor (a) broadband and (b) mobile phone signal during the switchover to digital alternatives to landlines.
Answered by Chris Bryant - Minister of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
For current landline-only customers it will be possible to order a VoIP landline without purchasing a general internet connection. Customers will only be offered VoIP if they live in an area with sufficient broadband connectivity.
In areas with insufficient mobile coverage to rely on their mobile as a back-up to VoIP, communication providers are required to comply with Ofcom regulations and provide a battery back-up solution. This ensures customers have a minimum of 1 hour access to emergency services. Major communication providers have signed up to the PSTN (Public Switched Telephone Network) charter and the non-voluntary migrations checklist published by the Department on 19 November 2024.
Asked by: Blake Stephenson (Conservative - Mid Bedfordshire)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what discussions he has had with the Chancellor of the Exchequer on the potential impact of the Autumn Budget 2024 on UK R&D.
Answered by Feryal Clark - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
The Secretary of State has regular discussions with the Chancellor on a range of issues. In the Autumn Budget, the Chancellor announced that total HMG investment in R&D is rising to a record allocation of £20.4bn in 2025/26, with DSIT's R&D budget rising to £13.9bn, a real terms increase of 8.5%. This investment increases Core Research funding to at least £6.1bn, protecting funding for the UK's world leading research base in real terms, and fully funds the UK's association with Horizon Europe. Further details on how this funding will be allocated will be set out in due course.
Asked by: Blake Stephenson (Conservative - Mid Bedfordshire)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what steps he plans to take to support the development of tech clusters for specialist universities.
Answered by Feryal Clark - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
The UK tech ecosystem achieved a record combined market valuation of $1.08 trillion in 2023. Supporting its continued development across the UK is a priority for my department, and vital to this government’s mission to kickstart economic growth.
As set out in the industrial strategy consultation, the UK has world-leading innovation and tech clusters across the country. This includes aviation technology around Cranfield, with Cranfield University acting as a magnet for talent and investment and anchor institution for its local innovation ecosystem.
Through the industrial strategy, we will explore how best to continue supporting high-potential clusters across the UK through R&D investment.
Asked by: Blake Stephenson (Conservative - Mid Bedfordshire)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, if he will make it his policy to ringfence Project Gigabit funding for rural areas.
Answered by Chris Bryant - Minister of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
No. Project Gigabit is designed to subsidise the rollout of gigabit-capable broadband to premises that would otherwise not be reached by suppliers’ commercial plans.
These premises will predominantly be in rural areas, but the evidence from our regular engagement with the market indicates that we will also need to intervene in some urban areas in order to achieve the target of full gigabit coverage by 2030.