Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what assessment her Department has made of potential lessons to be learned from the descoping of premises under the Fastershire-Gigaclear contract; and what protections are in place under the new BDUK framework agreement with (a) Openreach and (b) other contractors to prevent properties in North Herefordshire constituency from being promised a connection and then removed from delivery plans.

We recognise the importance of learning from past delivery challenges. Under the Fastershire programme, Gigaclear was accountable to the Local Authority for any descoping, with Building Digital UK (BDUK) assuring change requests to ensure compliance with commercial and State Aid requirements and responsible use of public funds. All descoped premises were subject to formal change control and assurance by BDUK before approval, including consideration of recouping public funds where appropriate.

BDUK is the contracting authority for all Project Gigabit contracts in England and Wales, including the cross-regional framework with Openreach. These contracts include robust safeguards: suppliers’ performance is monitored against time and budget, with regular reporting and milestone reviews, while failure to meet milestones can trigger rectification plans and suspension of payments. BDUK holds regular meetings with suppliers to ensure effective delivery and address risks early. These measures are designed to maximise coverage and value for money for the taxpayer.