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

To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what steps the Government is taking to maximise internet service provider options for people in rural areas.

We are currently investing £1.7 billion of public money in superfast broadband coverage across the UK. We reached the target of 95% coverage of the UK by the end of 2017 and are continuing to roll out with another 2% coverage expected.

As part of funding requirements, network providers receiving funding under the BDUK Superfast programme are required to provide wholesale access, which creates competition in the retail market and seeks to maximise the number of internet service provider options for consumers.

To ensure no-one is left behind, the Better Broadband Scheme ensures all UK premises have access to an affordable broadband service from a range of ISPs delivering at least 2Mbps. From 2020 we are also introducing a broadband Universal Service Obligation so everyone across the UK will have a clear, enforceable right to request high-speed broadband of minimum 10Mbps up to a reasonable cost threshold.