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

To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, if he will make it his policy to expand the Rural Gigabit Connectivity programme to include urban areas with poor broadband connectivity.

The Rural Gigabit Connectivity (RGC) programme closed on 31st March 2021. The programme sought to test ways in which the government could intervene to provide gigabit broadband coverage in rural areas which were unlikely to be covered through commercial roll-out. The experience of the RGC programme has helped shape Project Gigabit, which is aimed at all premises which are not likely to be covered commercially.

The government is working closely with telecoms providers through detailed market reviews to ensure that only premises which are not likely to get commercial gigabit coverage are in scope for Project Gigabit. This will include premises in urban areas if there are no commercial coverage plans in place.

Today, over two in five premises can access gigabit-capable networks, up from just one in ten in November 2019. By the end of the year, 60% will have access, and by 2025 the government is targeting a minimum of 85% gigabit-capable coverage, working with industry to reach as close to 100% as possible.