Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what steps her Department is taking to improve the quality of 5G available on rail networks.

Our ambition is for all populated areas to have higher quality standalone 5G by 2030. As part of the Government’s Mobile Market Review Call for Evidence, launched on 10 February 2026, we are asking for detailed evidence on how government should think about, and define, ‘good’ mobile coverage in relation to the quality of service provided to consumers, businesses and the public sector.

In the 10 Year Infrastructure Strategy (June 2025), the Government committed to work with Ofcom and other regulators to assess the telecommunications needs of the transport sector, including rail networks, by December 2026. My officials are undertaking this assessment alongside the Department for Transport, the National Infrastructure and Service Transformation Authority, and Ofcom, the regulator for telecommunications.

The Department for Transport has secured funding to introduce low-Earth-orbit satellite connectivity on all mainline trains, which will significantly improve both the availability and internet data connection speeds for Wi-Fi connected passengers.

My officials are also working with Ofcom to improve the evidence base on mobile connectivity across the rail network, as recommended by the Public Accounts Committee.