Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what steps he is taking to help improve mobile phone coverage in (a) South Holland and the Deepings constituency and (b) Lincolnshire.

The Government is committed to improving mobile coverage across the UK. Ofcom’s most recent coverage data for the constituency of South Holland and The Deepings shows 94% 4G geographic coverage from all four mobile network operators and that 5G is available from at least one mobile network operator outside 79% of premises, and our ambition is for nationwide coverage by 2030.

I am aware that Ofcom’s coverage data does not always reflect consumers’ experience of mobile networks at a local level, and I am intent on ensuring Ofcom takes all necessary steps to improve the accuracy of its coverage data.

Alongside this, the Government intends to reform the planning system in a way that will make it easier to build digital infrastructure.