Written questions by Dyke.

Innovation and Technology, what discussions her Department has had with major online marketplace operators regarding their responsibilities in preventing the sale of copied or infringing products to UK consumers.

Awaiting answer.

Innovation and Technology, what steps her Department is taking to ensure that online marketplaces selling into the UK are held accountable for listings that may infringe upon intellectual property rights of UK based manufacturing businesses.

Awaiting answer.

Innovation and Technology, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of the delay in full Shared Rural Network rollout until 2027 on rural businesses; and what steps she is taking to mitigate this.

Ofcom is responsible for assessing the 4G coverage improvements delivered by the Shared Rural Network. Its latest published figures show that 4G now reaches over 95% of UK landmass. This means that the Shared Rural Network met its overarching target a year ahead of schedule. The delivery of the programme was always due to continue until January 2027, at which point Ofcom will assess further coverage improvements from the publicly-funded parts of the programme.

Innovation and Technology, what steps his Department is taking to help tackle digital exclusion.

It is shocking that the last government published no digital inclusion strategy for 10 years. This Government is determined to remedy that and I hope to be able to say more soon.

Innovation and Technology, how much and what proportion of the Project Gigabit fund has been allocated to rural areas.

The latest published data shows that between April 2022 and March 2023, 90% of premises benefiting from publicly-subsidised broadband rollout, including Project Gigabit, were rural.Almost £2 billion of contracts have been signed to connect over a million more premises with gigabit-capable broadband. These are premises that would otherwise not be reached by suppliers’ commercial rollout, and fall predominantly in rural areas.