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

To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the benefits of facilitating flexible use of the 5G spectrum by community and independent networks in areas where it is allocated to mobile operators but remains unused.

Government has regular discussions with Ofcom on a range of subjects, including 5G spectrum bands (including 3.6-3.8 GHz band). Government supports Ofcom's recent consultation document on ‘Enabling Opportunities for Innovation’ and is continuing to engage with stakeholders on the potential impact of a dynamic, flexible spectrum sharing model.

In February the Government published a consultation on its Statement of Strategic Priorities which reaffirms our support for flexible shared spectrum models and the release of additional public sector spectrum are some of Government’s strategic priorities. This is key to helping unlock new 5G use cases and enabling innovative solutions to connectivity challenges, including improving connectivity in rural areas.