Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, with reference to CityFibre's press release entitled CityFibre and BDUK agree changes to Project Gigabit rollout following increase in commercial build, published on 26 May 2026, what the net change in Government spending on full fibre connectivity is expected to be for (a) East Hampshire constituency, (b) Hampshire and (c) England as a result of the re-scope of Project Gigabit.

The change to the Project Gigabit contract with CityFibre for Hampshire will result in a reduction of 26,150 premises from the scope of the contract, of which approximately 3,450 are within the East Hampshire constituency. There will be a reduction of approximately £56.1 million in government funding through this contract as a result. Across all of CityFibre’s contracts within England the reduction in government funding will be approximately £420.6 million which will be redeployed into other Project Gigabit projects.

Many of the premises that have been removed from the scope of the CityFibre contracts will now gain gigabit coverage through commercially funded delivery without the need for public subsidy.

For the remaining premises which have been removed from CityFibre’s contracts and are not within the scope of suppliers’ commercial plans, Building Digital UK (BDUK) is working to put in place alternative coverage solutions as soon as possible through Project Gigabit. A market engagement consultation for suppliers was published on 1 June to confirm supplier interest in relation to the premises that still need coverage in the affected areas.