Written questions by Hoare.

Innovation and Technology, what the coverage is of 5G in Dorset; and what steps he is taking to improve 5G coverage in rural areas.

I have raised my concerns about the reporting of mobile connectivity with Ofcom, but Ofcom reports that 5G is available outside 86% of premises across the Dorset local authority area from at least one mobile operator.In order to realise the full economic and social benefits of 5G, our ambition is for all populated areas, including communities in rural areas, to have higher-quality standalone 5G by 2030.We work closely with the mobile industry and are committed to ensuring we have the right policy and regulatory framework to support investment and competition in the market. As part of this work, the Government intends to reform the planning system to make it easier to build digital infrastructure.

Innovation and Technology, what the coverage is of superfast broadband in (a) Dorset and (b) North Dorset constituency; and what steps he is taking to improve superfast broadband coverage in hard-to-reach areas.

According to the independent website Thinkbroadband.com, over 97% of premises in Dorset can access superfast broadband speeds (>=30 Mbps) and over 61% have access to a gigabit-capable broadband connection (>1000 Mbps). In the North Dorset constituency, over 98% can access superfast broadband speeds, and over 78% have access to a gigabit-capable broadband connection.To improve this coverage further, Wessex Internet is delivering two contracts under Project Gigabit, targeted at bringing fast, reliable broadband to premises in hard-to-reach areas that are unlikely to be otherwise reached by suppliers’ commercial rollout.