Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what recent assessment the Government has made of the adequacy of the current legislative framework governing the installation of telecommunications infrastructure in residential areas.

During the adjournment debate on Installation of Telecommunications Infrastructure on 15 March, the Minister for Data and Digital Infrastructure reaffirmed to the House the Government’s commitment to providing the necessary digital infrastructure across the UK to ensure that people and businesses have the connectivity they need. At the same time, we are mindful that communities have concerns about new infrastructure. We want to ensure that those concerns are heard and considered, and that we get the balance right. Reliable, fast digital connectivity is vital for the prosperity of this country, local businesses and families.

The Government has made a number of legislative interventions to support the deployment of fixed and wireless connectivity, including amendments to the Electronic Communications Code through the Product Security and Telecommunications Infrastructure Act 2022, reforms to planning legislation and mandating gigabit connectivity to all new build developments. The Government therefore does not intend to revisit the legislation relating to telecommunications infrastructure deployment at this time. The current legal framework recognises the impact of network deployment on communities and the environment, and we believe that it strikes the right balance between promoting efficient deployment and taking into account the impacts on communities.

In order to assess the effectiveness of legislation in this area, monitoring of the rollout of digital infrastructure is in place, and the Government is committed to understanding the impact of the legislative framework going forwards. For example, reports and updates published by Ofcom, Building Digital UK (BDUK) and ThinkBroadband all allow the Government to measure the success of Government interventions to increase connectivity.

The Government also undertakes regular engagement with all parties with an interest in this sector. In particular the Government has supported the creation of, and continues to attend meetings of, the National Connectivity Alliance. The Alliance is an independent body, led by a steering group comprising an equal number of operators and landowner representatives, and co-ordinates working groups to examine and make recommendations on a wide range of issues. This work provides an invaluable insight for the Government to understand how its legislative interventions are received on the ground.

Lastly, Ofcom is able to take enforcement action in respect of breaches of the restrictions and conditions on operators if it has reasonable grounds to believe that they are failing to comply with those requirements. Local Planning Authorities should inform Ofcom of any situations where they believe operators are not complying with their statutory duties.