Project Gigabit

Gigabit availability in Caerfyrddin, west Wales, stands at 42%, compared to the Welsh average of 70% and UK average of 79%. The Public Accounts Committee has indicated that the 2030 target for full UK-wide gigabit coverage is not feasible given delays and reliance on commercial providers.

The speaker acknowledged the importance of Project Gigabit in delivering gigabit broadband to households. He cited statistics showing an increase from 7% coverage in 2019 to 81% as of April 2024, suggesting that the target of reaching 85% may have already been achieved. Ben emphasized the role of industry and public subsidy in rolling out gigabit broadband, expressing concerns about future inequalities between rural and urban areas.

The MP congratulated Gregory Stafford on securing the debate and acknowledged the challenges faced by rural communities in accessing broadband. He emphasised the importance of connectivity for residents, businesses, and council services. The MP also asked about Government plans to support remote locations where full-fibre connections may be prohibitively expensive.

My hon. Friend is right to identify progress in constituencies like Farnham, Bordon and East Hampshire but argues that improvement is urgent for rural areas where there is already poor or no mobile signal and broadband speed. Mr Hinds highlighted the adverse impact of poor broadband access on elderly and vulnerable residents, underscoring the need for accelerated rollout efforts.

The MP highlighted the slow roll-out of full-fibre broadband in hard-to-reach properties, citing a constituent's experience in Tollerton. He noted that 6 million properties are classified as area 3 by Ofcom and expressed frustration over delays in upgrading connections. The MP also welcomed the new Government's commitment to achieving full gigabit and national 5G coverage by 2030.

Whenever the DUP were in partnership with the Conservatives, a £200 million boost was provided to Northern Ireland for better connectivity. Currently, 96.42% of premises have up-to-date connectivity but there are still 60,000 rural businesses needing coverage.

Mr Morris highlighted issues with broadband speeds in rural areas of his large constituency, citing specific villages struggling to get appropriate internet speeds. He stressed that many communities were left isolated by the Conservative government for 14 years and expressed hope that Labour could ensure rural businesses have access to high-speed internet.

Describes the broadband challenges in his constituency, including poor connectivity in some areas while others have excellent service. Mentions a Ministry of Defence site with slow internet and requests a meeting to address this issue. Also highlights residents in Haxby and Hopgrove who are struggling due to missed broadband rollouts.

Mr Foord detailed the shortcomings of broadband policy in his constituency, mentioning Gittisham where commercial providers failed to deliver full-fibre connections despite multiple attempts. He noted that the local authority-led body had scaled back its roll-out plans, leaving many areas underserved with only 61% gigabit-capable coverage.

Highlights the issues faced by his constituency despite Project Gigabit, including isolated properties that will not be connected. Expresses concern about communities in deferred scope without access to vouchers or B4RN services. Requests the Minister to either give a connection date for these areas or allow them to join the voucher scheme.

Mr Crichton discussed the challenges faced by rural communities in the Western Isles, particularly in Diracleit where tourism businesses suffer due to poor internet connections. He pointed out that despite some success stories, 10% of households still cannot get decent broadband speeds, and criticized delays in implementing schemes like the Scottish broadband voucher scheme.

The speaker emphasized the importance of broadband connectivity for economic opportunities, mentioning inequality in internet access across constituencies. She highlighted specific cases where individuals were unable to receive adequate internet services despite eligibility issues. The constituent's inability to get 4G access in Ashridge was a key example. Victoria also raised concerns about patchy roll-out and the disparity between rural and urban areas.