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Written question asked by Joshua Reynolds (Liberal Democrat) on Monday, 8 December 2025, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Wednesday, 10 December 2025. It was answered by Kanishka Narayan (Labour) on Tuesday, 16 December 2025 on behalf of the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology.

Broadband: Rural Areas

Question

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what steps her Department is taking to ensure that broadband infrastructure providers complete full fibre rollout in areas where initial deployment was incomplete; and what steps she is taking to ensure that residents in those areas have access to adequate broadband connectivity.

Answer

We are committed to ensuring 99% of premises receive gigabit coverage by 2032. We will continue to work in partnership with industry to deliver the fibre rollout and will maintain a stable pro-competition regulatory environment to encourage private investment.

However, where network operators choose to deploy their services in commercially viable areas is a commercial matter, and the government will not intervene in private business decisions.

Through Project Gigabit, we are addressing gaps in coverage by delivering gigabit-capable connections to premises not included in suppliers’ plans. As of the end of September 2025, over 1.3 million premises in hard-to-reach communities across the UK had been upgraded to gigabit-capable broadband through government-funded programmes.

Alongside this, over one million further premises have been included within contracts to provide access to gigabit-capable broadband, with funding of over £2.4 billion through Project Gigabit.

Secondary information

Type
Written question
Reference
98172
Session
2024-26
Subjects
Broadband Infrastructure Rural areas Optical fibres
Link
View this Written question on www.parliament.uk