Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what estimate her Department has made of (a) the number of businesses and (b) the number of businesses without fibre-optic broadband in (i) Enfield North constituency and (ii) the London Borough of Enfield.

Whilst the Government does not hold data on the number of businesses at a constituency level, data from London Councils state that the number of registered businesses in the London Borough of Enfield is 14,285.

As Enfield is an urban area, it is not in receipt of any of the £5bn Project Gigabit funding. As such, the Government does not hold data at a constituency nor a borough level on the number of businesses that (a) are without fibre-optic broadband; and (b) who have requested fibre-optic broadband and do not currently have it. This is because it is a service that is delivered commercially by the private sector.

The Government is committed to delivering nationwide gigabit connectivity as soon as possible. By 2025 the Government is targeting a minimum of 85% gigabit-capable coverage.

Today, fewer than 8% of all premises in Enfield North and 8.5% of premises in the London Borough of Enfield do not have access to a gigabit-capable network; meaning the overwhelming majority - 92% of premises in Enfield North and 91.5% of premises in Enfield - already have gigabit coverage.