Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what recent progress she has made on the rollout of 5G to rural communities.

Our ambition is for all populated areas, including rural communities, to have higher quality standalone 5G by 2030 and I will work closely with mobile network operators who are delivering this.

We are committed to ensuring we have the right policy and regulatory framework in place to support investment into mobile networks and competition in the market.

In their Connected Nations Spring update, published 8 May 2025, Ofcom reports that 5G (combined standalone and non-standalone 5G) is available outside 82% of UK rural premises from at least one mobile operator, but this falls to 8% from all four operators.