Written questions by Fookes.

Innovation and Technology, what steps she is taking to ensure households without access to reliable broadband or mobile signal will be able to make calls following the digital switchover.

The Government is committed to ensuring that any risks from the industry-led migration of the copper based Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN) to Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) are mitigated for everyone across the UK In November 2024, the Government secured safeguards from the telecoms industry. These include the provision of free battery back-ups for vulnerable and landline dependent (including those without mobile signal) customers to ensure access to emergency services for at least one hour in a power outage. Many communication providers have gone further, providing battery back-ups of 4-7 hours.In March 2026, the Government and industry agreed a new Fixed Telecoms Charter to extend these safeguards to all future fixed telecoms modernisation programmes.In order to function correctly, VoIP requires a minimum connection speed of just 0.5 megabytes per second. It is possible to order a VoIP landline without purchasing a broadband connection.

Innovation and Technology, what steps she is taking to help support right holders’ control over whether their works are used to train AI models.

Our copyright regime must deliver for British people and businesses. This means helping creative industries to thrive while unlocking the extraordinary potential of AI.We have consulted on a set of options and continue to seek views on how best to meet our objectives on AI and copyright from stakeholders and experts, including through the technical working groups and Parliamentary working groups.The government will publish a report on the use of copyright works in the development of AI systems by 18 March. This report will set out the evidence and views we have gathered and our next steps.

Innovation and Technology, whether his Department has made an assessment of the River Severn Partnership and Streetwave's Mobile Coverage Survey.

The River Severn Partnership commissioned the survey in support of its wider activities and projects as a Department for Science, Innovation and Technology funded 5G Innovation Region.The regulator, Ofcom, is responsible for measuring and reporting on network coverage. Ofcom’s improved consumer facing coverage checker, ‘Map Your Mobile’, went live on 26 June showing coverage data that should be more in line with people’s lived experience. More granular data, including at a local authority level, will be published as part of the Connected Nations 2025 report, expected later this year.I am committed to continuing to work with Ofcom to improve the accuracy of reporting of mobile coverage across the UK. This remains a priority as set out in the proposed Statement of Strategic Priorities for telecommunications, the management of radio spectrum, and postal services.

Innovation and Technology, what steps his Department is taking to help prevent children in Monmouthshire being exposed to pornography.

The Government is committed to keeping children safe online. Our priority is the effective implementation of the Online Safety Act so that children benefit from its wide-reaching protections. The Act requires that all in scope services that allow pornography use highly effective age assurance to prevent children from accessing it, including services that host user-generated content, and services which publish pornography. Ofcom has robust enforcement powers available against companies who fail to fulfil their duties.