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

To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, how much funding he has allocated to the roll-out of gigabit-capable broadband; and what his timeframe is for the UK reaching 100 per cent coverage.

The Government set out in its National Infrastructure Strategy that it is working with industry to target a minimum of 85% gigabit capable coverage by 2025, but will seek to accelerate roll-out further to get as close to 100% as possible. The Government will continue to implement an ambitious programme of work to remove barriers to broadband deployment and work with suppliers to accelerate build in the hardest to reach parts of the UK through its £5 billion UK Gigabit Programme.

The Spending Review 2020 provided further details on our planned year on year capital spend for 2021-22 to 2024-25, which totals £1.2 billion, as part of the £5 billion UK Gigabit Programme. DCMS is continuing to work closely with industry to develop this programme and accelerate our year on year rollout plans for these areas to bring forward additional spend, wherever possible.