Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the case for greater pricing transparency in the mobile and broadband sector, specifically regarding the practice where some deals are only accessible through a negotiation process at the end of a fixed-term contract.

The Government has not undertaken a specific assessment, however we engage stakeholders, including Citizens Advice, who conduct relevant research.

Government also works closely with Ofcom, the independent regulator of telecommunications, who have introduced a range of measures to increase pricing transparency. For example, since 2020 providers must issue end-of-contract notifications to warn customers when their current contract is ending, and what they could save by signing up to a new deal. In 2022, Ofcom introduced one-page contract summaries for new customers, ensuring clarity on key terms like price increases.