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

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, with reference to page 2, Part 1 of her Department's Digital Strategy, published on 1 March 2017, whether the independent research cited indicates the speed to which broadband would need to be increased to add £17 billion to UK output by 2024.

The £17 billion estimated uplift is set out in the UK Broadband Impact Study, and based on the estimate of the benefits of extending superfast broadband coverage and its impacts on business growth and productivity. The study is available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/257006/UK_Broadband_Impact_Study_-_Impact_Report_-_Nov_2013_-_Final.pdf

The study estimates the impact of the Government's Superfast Broadband programme by comparing the possible distribution of speeds over time with and without the intervention, including changes in availability of full fibre-on-demand. The ranges of speeds involved are analysed in Chapter 3 of the report.