Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, with reference to paragraph 4.96 of the Autumn Budget 2024, published on 30 October 2024, HC 295, by what process the figure of £500 million to invest in Project Gigabit and the Shared Rural Network was arrived at; and what that funding is expected to achieve.

The Autumn Budget set out funding of over £500m in 2025/26 for Project Gigabit and the Shared Rural Network. This only referred to the capital funding for these programmes, resource is allocated separately.

The funding allocation is based on estimated delivery for the two programmes. For Project Gigabit this is based on the contracts we have signed and have planned. We remain committed to delivering gigabit connections to at least 99% of premises by 2030. Funding for the Shared Rural Network is based on agreements with the mobile industry to roll out new and upgraded masts to meet our target of hitting 95% geographic 4G coverage next year.