Oral QuestionDepartment for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy

“If he will make a statement on his departmental responsibilities.”

Tabled: 14 November 2018Answered: 20 November 2018

Answering Minister

the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy

Answer from Hansard

The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology (Josh Simons)

I am answering today on behalf of my right hon. Friend the Minister for Digital Government, who is away on other duties. As of September 2025, more than 1.3 million premises in rural and hard-to-reach communities across the UK have already been upgraded to gigabit-capable broadband through Government-funded programmes. More than 1 million premises are included in the £2.4 billion-worth of signed Project Gigabit contracts. That includes a £175 million contract with Openreach to deliver gigabit-capable broadband across Scotland, including approximately 8,300 premises in my hon. Friend’s constituency.