The DFTO has developed the Business Case in accordance with Transport Appraisal Guidance, assessing the economic benefits that arise through improvements in rail passenger productivity and the likelihood of additional rail journeys. The DFTO’s assessment has been undertaken on an individual train operating company level.

As I said in answer to my hon. Friend the Member for Camborne and Redruth (Perran Moon), we are planning to begin procurement for enhanced wi-fi across the rail network later this year. That will include LNER, because in the spending review the Chancellor allocated £57 million to deploy low earth orbit satellite technology on our mainline trains. We need to get that procurement done, and then it can be rolled out from there.

Businesses and individuals are increasingly discovering the advantages of living and working in the north-east—and no doubt the north-west, too—but unreliable train wi-fi means that journeys to the regions are too often dead time. I know that the Government are investing in technology to improve wi-fi services, but can the Minister tell me when we will see reliable wi-fi on LNER services, so that the whole nation’s productivity can be improved?

The Department for Transport has not made a specific assessment of the adequacy of on-train Wi-Fi on South Western Railway services through Fleet, Farnborough, and Hook. However, the Department remains committed to improving Wi-Fi connectivity for train passengers.

South Western Railway has recently introduced and trialled a range of connectivity improvements, including rail‑5G technology between Earlsfield and Basingstoke and enhanced onboard connectivity measures designed to improve passengers’ digital experience.

The Department for Transport has secured funding to support the introduction of low earth orbit satellite connectivity on mainline trains, which is expected to deliver a significant improvement in the reliability and performance of onboard Wi‑Fi for passengers across the rail network.

Subject to final Treasury approval, the Department is working closely with Network Rail to commence procurement and design activity later this year. This work aligns with Network Rail’s Project Reach programme, delivered in partnership with Neos Networks and Freshwave, which will support the provision of more consistent connectivity and improved digital services for passengers travelling across the network.

Pending approval of the Business Case for low earth orbit satellite to improve passenger wifi, we will begin delivering the LEO upgrade in 2027, which will include LNER. Exact dates will be determined once the Business Case is approved.

Once the procurement for this programme goes live and is concluded, that will determine the choice of supplier. Until then, no decision has been made.

Following the Spending Review, the Department was successful in securing funding to put low earth orbit satellite connectivity on our mainline trains to significantly improve the on train wifi for passengers. Part of this funding will be made available to TransPennine services. The exact amount will be determined through approval of the business case which is expected in early July.

In 2024-25 TransPennine Express spent £11 million on its onboard catering offer. Following positive passenger feedback, it is making its TransPennine Kitchen offering permanent on its intercity trains, creating jobs and showcasing local food and drink from across its network.

Wi-Fi connectivity across the rail network has historically been patchy. This is why my Department has secured funding through the 2025 Spending Review to install low earth orbit satellite connectivity on all mainline trains by 2030, to improve Wi-Fi speeds and reliability. London North Eastern Railway (LNER) and the Department for Transport Operator (DFTO) are working together to deliver these improvements. In addition, Project Reach was launched by Network Rail in 2025 to eliminate mobile blackspots on the East Coast Mainline, West Coast Mainline and Great Western routes.

The work to upgrade Avanti West Coast (AWC) Wi-Fi systems is expected to be complete by Spring 2027 but this is subject to contractual agreement with suppliers. The AWC window etching project is due to complete testing by the end of March 2027, with full fleet fitment commencing in Financial Year 2027/2028. In the Service Quality Regime (SQR), independent auditors test Wi‑Fi availability by attempting to connect to the internet using onboard Wi-Fi when inspecting a carriage. SQR does not assess against minimum standards for connection speed. The results represent a sample of the service rather than a continuous assessment of Wi-Fi performance. Onboard Wi‑Fi forms one element of a broader “Trains: Information” area, within which performance is assessed against a benchmark. Over the last 13 periods, AWC have averaged a score of 99.37% for the SQR Wi-Fi measure. AWC can earn a fee based on their overall performance across all train measures, which includes Wi-Fi. Performance payments for the 2024–25 and 2025–26 financial years are currently being calculated and independently verified and will be published in due course. The Department secured funding as part of the Spending Review to use low earth orbit satellite connectivity to improve on train Wi-Fi for our passengers on main line trains, including across the West Coast Main Line. As part of Project Reach, we will also improve the mobile signal in tunnels along the West Coast Main Line.

The following schools in the Camborne and Redruth constituency have received funding from Connect the Classroom:

• Mawnan CofE VA Primary School.
• Portreath Community Primary School.
• Trewirgie Infants' School.
• Bodriggy Academy.
• Illogan School.
• Pencoys Primary School.
• Mabe Community Primary School.

The Department is committed to improving on-train Wi-Fi for passengers, including on the Great Western Railways route, where poor connectivity remains an issue. That is why we have secured £57 million as part of the recent Spending Review to improve on train Wi-Fi using low earth orbit satellite connectivity on our mainline trains, which will include services on the Great Western Railways route. Officials have also been working with the Peninsula Taskforce and Motion Applied on the trial Peninsula Taskforce funded to test low earth orbit and 5G connectivity. The tests on the train itself have evidently been successful. Other operators, such as London North Eastern Railways, have also shown that low earth orbit technology provides high speeds – up to 200 megabits per second, enabling passengers to receive a much better mobile connection through the on-train Wi-Fi than they receive today.

Network Rail's Project Reach will also address mobile connectivity in 57 key mainline tunnels, which include ones on the Great Western Railways route, and this will complement the low earth orbit solution.

The Department is committed to improving on-train Wi-Fi for passengers, including on the Great Western Railways route, where poor connectivity remains an issue. That is why we have secured £57 million as part of the recent Spending Review to improve on train Wi-Fi using low earth orbit satellite connectivity on our mainline trains, which will include services on the Great Western Railways route. Officials have also been working with the Peninsula Taskforce and Motion Applied on the trial Peninsula Taskforce funded to test low earth orbit and 5G connectivity. The tests on the train itself have evidently been successful. Other operators, such as London North Eastern Railways, have also shown that low earth orbit technology provides high speeds – up to 200 megabits per second, enabling passengers to receive a much better mobile connection through the on-train Wi-Fi than they receive today.

Network Rail's Project Reach will also address mobile connectivity in 57 key mainline tunnels, which include ones on the Great Western Railways route, and this will complement the low earth orbit solution.

The Department is committed to improving on-train Wi-Fi for passengers, including on the Great Western Railways route, where poor connectivity remains an issue. That is why we have secured £57 million as part of the recent Spending Review to improve on train Wi-Fi using low earth orbit satellite connectivity on our mainline trains, which will include services on the Great Western Railways route. Officials have also been working with the Peninsula Taskforce and Motion Applied on the trial Peninsula Taskforce funded to test low earth orbit and 5G connectivity. The tests on the train itself have evidently been successful. Other operators, such as London North Eastern Railways, have also shown that low earth orbit technology provides high speeds – up to 200 megabits per second, enabling passengers to receive a much better mobile connection through the on-train Wi-Fi than they receive today.

Network Rail's Project Reach will also address mobile connectivity in 57 key mainline tunnels, which include ones on the Great Western Railways route, and this will complement the low earth orbit solution.

In the 2025-26 operating year, TransPennine Express has enhanced its catering, recruiting additional staff and supporting local small suppliers. These changes have led to improved customer satisfaction and additional ticket and catering revenue. Net catering costs for 2025-26 are £5.4 million.

All TransPennine Express services offer customers free Wi-Fi. The cost of providing this in 2025-26 is £0.6 million.

While it is too early to confirm specific procurement requirements, improving Wi-Fi provision across the network will be a key part of future planning and engagement with industry partners.

My officials produced a detailed business case as part of the Spending Review to deploy low earth orbit satellite connections on all mainline trains to improve on train wifi connectivity for passengers. The team is currently working through establishing the procurement and delivery model. We issued a preliminary market engagement notice on gov.uk to begin engaging with industry on how improvements can be delivered to passengers through compatible on-train equipment.

As part of the Spending Review business case assessing the value for money of delivering improved passenger internet connectivity, we assessed the positive benefits that can arise from ‘modal shift’, arising where people choose to travel by train in preference to using their cars. We followed standard transport appraisal and passenger demand forecast handbook guidance in our assessments.

No assessment has been made centrally of the potential impact on in-patients of charging in hospitals for television, WiFi, and telephone services.

National Health Service providers are locally responsible for the provision of bedside television and similar services, including the charges for them. If patients do not wish to or are unable to afford the cost of the bedside television, they should still be able to watch the free to view television via their own devices and local hospital Wi-Fi, or in the hospital day rooms or communal areas.