Asked by: Matt Bishop (Labour - Forest of Dean)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what progress has been made on the rollout of the shared rural network in the Forest of Dean constituency.
Answered by Chris Bryant - Minister of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
There have already been improvements via the Shared Rural Network in the Forest of Dean since the programme began in 2020. I have raised my concerns about the reporting of mobile connectivity with Ofcom, but according to Ofcom’s Connected Nations reports, 4G coverage from all four mobile network operators has risen from 73% to 85% and 99% of the constituency now has 4G coverage from at least one mobile network operator, up from 97% in 2020.
Asked by: Matt Bishop (Labour - Forest of Dean)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what steps he is taking to help tackle digital exclusion in Forest of Dean constituency.
Answered by Chris Bryant - Minister of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
Digital inclusion is a priority for me and for Government. It means everyone has the access, skills, support and confidence to participate in a modern digital society, whatever their circumstances. Work is ongoing to develop our approach to tackling digital exclusion and we hope to announce more on this soon. We look forward to working closely with the third sector, business and local authorities across the UK, including Gloucestershire, to ensure interventions are targeted to and based on individual needs.