Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what progress he has made on the roll out of broadband to rural areas.

According to the independent website Thinkbroadband.com, over 86% of premises in the UK can now access a gigabit-capable connection. In Leicestershire this figure is currently at 83%, and for the Mid Leicestershire constituency it is over 89%.

As of the end of March 2024, over one million premises in the UK had been upgraded to gigabit-capable broadband through government-funded programmes. Under Project Gigabit, more than £2 billion of contracts have been signed to provide gigabit-capable coverage to over a million more premises. The vast majority of the premises to be covered by these contracts will be in rural areas.

CityFibre is currently delivering a £77 million Project Gigabit contract for Leicestershire and Warwickshire, which includes eligible premises in both the Leicestershire and the Mid Leicestershire constituency.