Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:

To ask Her Majesty's Government whether broadband street cabinets are provided with batteries to be used in case of interruptions in electricity supply; and if not, what is their assessment of the safety implications for areas affected by interruptions in electricity supply given the declining number of homes with landlines.

Most fixed-line broadband street cabinets are fitted with a backup battery, ensuring a continued connection throughout an interruption to the mains electricity supply. For the remaining cabinets that do not have a battery backup capability (or, when a backup battery is depleted), telecoms providers have robust plans in place to prioritise these sites during any loss of power.