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

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, if he will estimate the annual cost to businesses of inconsistent broadband coverage.

An estimate of the annual cost to businesses due to inconsistent broadband coverage would quickly be out of date given the rate at which superfast broadband coverage is being extended. Under the government-funded broadband programmes each week we continue to see a further 40,000 premises able to access superfast broadband speeds. Through government investment of over £780 million, superfast broadband is available to over 80% of homes and businesses in the UK compared to 45% in 2010 and by the end of 2017 it will be available to 95% of homes and businesses.