Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what the coverage is of 5G in Dorset; and what steps he is taking to improve 5G coverage in rural areas.

I have raised my concerns about the reporting of mobile connectivity with Ofcom, but Ofcom reports that 5G is available outside 86% of premises across the Dorset local authority area from at least one mobile operator.

In order to realise the full economic and social benefits of 5G, our ambition is for all populated areas, including communities in rural areas, to have higher-quality standalone 5G by 2030.

We work closely with the mobile industry and are committed to ensuring we have the right policy and regulatory framework to support investment and competition in the market. As part of this work, the Government intends to reform the planning system to make it easier to build digital infrastructure.