Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to ensure that planning regulation does not hinder the effective implementation of the 5G mobile signal.

In 2022, the government made changes to planning regulations to provide mobile operators with the flexibility to upgrade existing sites in England for 5G delivery, enhance coverage and meet the growing demands for network capacity. The reforms were designed to reduce the time, cost and uncertainty involved in upgrading mobile network infrastructure and to encourage greater use and sharing of existing infrastructure. The UK Government is committed to supporting investment in high-quality, reliable digital connectivity so that communities can benefit from faster economic growth and greater social inclusion. Permitted development rights for telecommunications infrastructure have been developed to ensure planning supports this mission. This government has committed to further reforms to the planning system including making it easier to build digital infrastructure.