Oral Answers to Questions Debate

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Department: Cabinet Office

Oral Answers to Questions

Julian Sturdy Excerpts
Wednesday 22nd May 2024

(7 months, 2 weeks ago)

Commons Chamber
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The Secretary of State was asked—
Julian Sturdy Portrait Julian Sturdy (York Outer) (Con)
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1. What recent steps her Department has taken to improve internet connectivity.

Jerome Mayhew Portrait Jerome Mayhew (Broadland) (Con)
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4. What recent steps her Department has taken to improve internet connectivity.

Julia Lopez Portrait The Minister for Data and Digital Infrastructure (Julia Lopez)
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More than 82% of UK premises can now access gigabit-capable broadband, up from just 6% in January 2019. The National Infrastructure Commission recently reported that we are on track to meet our target of 85% gigabit coverage by 2025. Through Project Gigabit, we have already signed 31 contracts, with another this week, to bring fast, reliable connectivity to hard-to-reach communities across the UK. We have also created an attractive pro-competition environment to build networks in this country. Investment in fixed networks increased by 40% in real terms from 2019 to 2022, with more than 100 providers rolling out gigabit broadband across the UK.

Julian Sturdy Portrait Julian Sturdy
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I very much welcome the Minister’s response, but does she agree that we need to ensure that we do not create a new digital divide where only parts of certain communities are upgraded, depending on where they are situated and where they are connected to the telecom box? This is causing a lot of concern in my constituency, where a continuing digital divide is being created.

Julia Lopez Portrait Julia Lopez
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Making sure that we do not have a digital divide is at the heart of Project Gigabit. By the time the programme is over, 99% of premises in our country will have gigabit-capable coverage, but during the roll-out process some will get that coverage sooner than others. We just had a new contract signed for Yorkshire, which will cover 3,400 premises in my hon. Friend’s constituency. He is right that we must ensure that premises between the commercial roll-out and the contract roll-out from Project Gigabit are not left out.