Asked by: Peter Bedford (Conservative - Mid Leicestershire)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, whether his Department is using AI software in responding to written parliamentary questions.
Answered by Feryal Clark - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
The Department for Science, Innovation and Technology does not have a specific policy on the use of AI for responding to written parliamentary questions. However, staff do have access to AI software tools to support the drafting process. All responses are reviewed by policy officials to ensure accuracy and consistency with government policy, and are signed off by Ministers.
Asked by: Peter Bedford (Conservative - Mid Leicestershire)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of the roll out of broadband in (a) the United Kingdom, (b) Leicestershire and (c) Mid Leicestershire constituency.
Answered by Chris Bryant - Minister of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
According to the independent website Thinkbroadband.com, over 86% of premises in the UK can now access a gigabit-capable connection. In Leicestershire this figure is currently at 83%, and for the Mid Leicestershire constituency it is over 89%.
As of the end of March 2024, over one million premises in the UK had been upgraded to gigabit-capable broadband through government-funded programmes. Under Project Gigabit, more than £2 billion of contracts have been signed to provide gigabit-capable coverage to over a million more premises. The vast majority of the premises to be covered by these contracts will be in rural areas.
CityFibre is currently delivering a £77 million Project Gigabit contract for Leicestershire and Warwickshire, which includes eligible premises in both the Leicestershire and the Mid Leicestershire constituency.
Asked by: Peter Bedford (Conservative - Mid Leicestershire)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what progress he has made on the roll out of broadband to rural areas.
Answered by Chris Bryant - Minister of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
According to the independent website Thinkbroadband.com, over 86% of premises in the UK can now access a gigabit-capable connection. In Leicestershire this figure is currently at 83%, and for the Mid Leicestershire constituency it is over 89%.
As of the end of March 2024, over one million premises in the UK had been upgraded to gigabit-capable broadband through government-funded programmes. Under Project Gigabit, more than £2 billion of contracts have been signed to provide gigabit-capable coverage to over a million more premises. The vast majority of the premises to be covered by these contracts will be in rural areas.
CityFibre is currently delivering a £77 million Project Gigabit contract for Leicestershire and Warwickshire, which includes eligible premises in both the Leicestershire and the Mid Leicestershire constituency.
Asked by: Peter Bedford (Conservative - Mid Leicestershire)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what information his Department holds on the number of households that will have high-speed broadband installed in (a) the UK, (b) Leicestershire and (c) Mid Leicestershire constituency in each of the next five years.
Answered by Chris Bryant - Minister of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
According to the independent website, Thinkbroadband.com, over 86% of UK premises can now access gigabit-capable broadband. In Leicestershire this figure is currently at 83%, and for the Mid Leicestershire constituency it is over 89%.
Our objective is for nationwide gigabit coverage across the UK by 2030, with at least 99% of premises having access to a gigabit-capable broadband connection.
The rate of delivery in each area will depend on broadband suppliers’ commercial rollout, supplemented by the delivery of Project Gigabit to address gaps in coverage. Over one million premises in the UK are currently included in Project Gigabit contracts, through which they should gain access to a gigabit-capable broadband connection in the next five years. This includes approximately 15,600 premises in the non-metropolitan county of Leicestershire and around 600 premises in the Mid Leicestershire constituency.
Asked by: Peter Bedford (Conservative - Mid Leicestershire)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of the roll out of broadband in rural areas.
Answered by Chris Bryant - Minister of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
Our assessment is that rural coverage is not good enough which is why we are committed to improving it.
We are committed to delivering nationwide gigabit coverage by 2030. More than £2 billion of contracts have been signed to provide access to gigabit-capable broadband to over a million more premises.The vast majority of the premises to be covered by these contracts will be in rural areas.
Asked by: Peter Bedford (Conservative - Mid Leicestershire)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, how many employee settlement agreements there were in his Department in each year since 2020; and what the total value of such agreements is.
Answered by Feryal Clark - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
DSIT was established in February 2023 and we therefore do not hold date for the full period in question.
There has been less than 5 instances of settlement agreements being used since the department's creation. We are unable to share the precise number and value of agreements without individuals potentially being identifiable.