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

To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, with reference to the Answer of 11 January 2021 to Question 132906 on 5G, what progress he has made on identifying opportunities to establish UK capability and skills in the telecoms supply chain.

We have been building upon the findings of the 5G Diversification Taskforce, which included specific recommendations on long-term research and investment opportunities in the UK. Our work is ongoing to better understand our existing capabilities and the needs of the telecoms sector across the entire ecosystem, including skills development. We remain committed to supporting UK suppliers, investing in R&D initiatives across the supply chain, and championing the exciting research underway across UK universities and regional advanced technology hubs.