Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, whether his Department has made an assessment of the potential impact of broadband limitations on the digital competitiveness of SMEs.

Broadband connectivity is vital for businesses and plays a critical role in driving growth and productivity across the UK.

While no direct assessment has been made of the potential impact of broadband limitations on digital competitiveness, wider government analysis has shown that increased broadband speeds lead to an improvement in turnover and productivity for SMEs. That is why government continues to ensure that UK SMEs benefit from high quality digital infrastructure and is committed to ensuring at least 99% of premises receive gigabit broadband coverage by 2032, with over 88% now able to do so.