Question

To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what proportion of successful Digital Inclusion Innovation Fund grant applicants were located in rural areas.

The £11.9 million Digital Inclusion Innovation Fund funded over 80 projects across all nine regions of England, helping people get online safely and with confidence.

Funding was distributed broadly evenly across the regions, with each receiving between 10% - 13% of funded projects (approximately 17 - 23 projects as some projects span multiple regions). A number of these organisations focused on rural areas, such as Rural Media Charity, who supported older adults to improve confidence and access to online services in rural West Midlands communities.