Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what steps she is taking with Cabinet colleagues to help ensure that households that have no (a) mobile and (b) broadband internet are not excluded from accessing (i) government services and (ii) benefits.

Digital inclusion is a priority for this government and in February 2025, we published the Digital Inclusion Action Plan. One of the actions in the plan is ensuring accessible digital public services. As part of this industry partners have committed to provide free mobile data to individuals in need and support community hubs to provide free Wi-Fi.

In addition, households in receipt of means-tested benefits can access social tariffs for broadband and mobile services from a wide range of providers.