Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of updating the Code of practice for wireless network development in England to make it easier for rural communities to get new mobile phone masts erected.

The Wireless Code of Practice was updated in 2022. It provides guidance to operators and local authorities on the deployment of wireless networks, including how infrastructure should be sited.

Installation of new infrastructure is governed by planning legislation. In 2022, we made changes to these regulations to make it quicker and easier to deploy new equipment, including masts in rural areas, to help communities in these areas get the connectivity they need.