Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of allocating a dedicated radio spectrum to utilities networks.

As set out in the March 22 Spectrum Roadmap, https://www.ofcom.org.uk/__data/assets/pdf_file/0021/234633/spectrum-roadmap.pdf, Ofcom (who are responsible for spectrum allocation decisions) is undertaking a review of the role of spectrum in supporting utilities networks, with the goal of developing a strategy to support the changing wireless operational communication needs of the Energy (Electricity and Gas) and Water sectors. BEIS and DCMS are actively engaged with Ofcom on this review, and BEIS are commissioning various studies into the communication requirements of the energy sector.