Written questions by Cox.

Innovation and Technology, whether it is his Department's policy that properties in hard-to-reach hamlets in rural areas (a) must receive gigabit-capable broadband or (b) can receive slower-speed broadband to ensure connectivity.

Project Gigabit is delivering gigabit-capable broadband to UK premises that are not included in suppliers' commercial plans. Our goal is for nationwide gigabit coverage by 2030, ensuring at least 99% of UK premises can access a gigabit-capable connection. Although the vast majority of premises will receive a gigabit capable broadband connection through commercial activity or Project Gigabit, it will be prohibitively expensive to provide a gigabit capable fibre connection to a very small proportion of premises. These very hard to reach premises may require additional government intervention by alternative means to help provide them with ultrafast connections.

Innovation and Technology, if he will provide interim funding for hamlets in remote areas to improve broadband coverage before his target date.

No, providing a lesser interim service that would be replaced in the near future would involve the government providing a subsidy in some areas twice over, which would not be an efficient use of public funding. The Torridge and Tavistock constituency is included in BDUK’s cross regional framework which has been signed, under which we expect infrastructure will start being deployed in early 2025.

Innovation and Technology, what steps his Department is taking to support innovation in epilepsy research.

UK Research and Innovation’s Medical Research Council spends around £3 million each year on epilepsy research, spanning discovery science and fundamental understanding of the disease through to new approaches for diagnosis and intervention. Such as £2.64 million to University College London for A Network Approach to Gene Therapy for Refractory Epilepsies. Between April 2019 and March 2024 Innovate UK has awarded a total of £8.38 million of grant funding to 25 projects relating to epilepsy. In addition, the 2023/24 Early Career Researchers fund allocated over £1.6 million of funding towards epilepsy research, mainly through the Epilepsy Institute to advance research into the causes, prevention and treatment of epilepsy and its associated conditions.