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

To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, if he will take steps to encourage network providers to zero rate (a) educational websites and (b) video conferencing systems used by schools, colleges and universities to allow people who use mobile data to access them without charge.

The government is working with industry to identify measures that can help vulnerable families during this difficult time. The majority of the UK’s leading mobile network operators have agreed to provide free data uplifts to disadvantaged families with school-age children. This will support access to education resources including remote education activities direct from their schools.

We are pleased that all four of the main mobile network operators have committed to working with Oak Academy to zero rate the website, and EE is also zero-rating BBC Bitesize.

In addition, last year the government agreed a set of commitments with the UK’s major broadband and mobile operators to support disadvantaged and vulnerable consumers during the Covid-19 period. This included lifting data caps on all fixed broadband packages, and provision of new and generous landline and mobile offers, such as free or low cost mobile data boosts.