Asked by: David Duguid (Conservative - Banff and Buchan)
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 improve rural connectivity.
Answered by John Whittingdale - Shadow Minister (Health and Social Care)
We have already announced twelve Project Gigabit contracts, to extend gigabit-capable networks in rural and hard-to-reach areas of the UK. More contracts are set to be awarded in the coming months.
Support is also available through the Gigabit Broadband Voucher Scheme, which provides a subsidy of up to £4,500 for residents and businesses towards the cost of installing gigabit-capable broadband through local community broadband projects.
Through the Shared Rural Network, we are also jointly investing over £1 billion to increase 4G mobile coverage throughout the UK.