Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:

To ask the Minister of State, Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what steps he is taking to ensure that full-fibre broadband that is competitively priced can be deployed in new build apartment blocks.

Ensuring all new rural and urban homes are built with the future in mind, ready to accept the next generation of digital infrastructure, is a top priority for this Government.

In the Queen’s Speech, the Government announced it will legislate to amend Building Regulations so that all new build homes are required to have the infrastructure to support gigabit-capable connections. We will also legislate to require housing developers to work with broadband companies to install gigabit-capable connections in virtually all new build homes, up to a cost cap. In addition, the Chancellor has announced £5bn of funding to improve broadband in the hardest to reach areas of the country.

These measures will work alongside the provisions in the Telecommunications Infrastructure (Leasehold Property) Bill. This legislation supports telecoms operators to gain access to blocks of flats where a landlord repeatedly fails to respond to access notices and a resident is seeking a new service.

Together, these measures will drive competition in the commercial market, encourage investment in locations which may otherwise be left behind, and support leaseholders to receive the connectivity they need; from the providers that they want.