Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what steps his Department is taking to improve broadband resilience to support (a) cloud-based telephony and (b) payment systems used by small businesses.

The Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT) is working to improve the resilience of broadband that will support a range of services including cloud-based telephony and digital payment systems used by small businesses. DSIT works with Ofcom, which enforces legal duties on providers to maintain secure, reliable networks. Government and industry work together through the Electronic Communications Resilience and Response Group (EC-RRG) to promote resilience within the sector, and to respond to emergencies.