Broadband: Harpenden and Berkhamsted
The question
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, with reference to the announcement on 26 May 2026 of the cancellation of later-stage Project Gigabit contracts, what steps she is taking to prevent rural and hard-to-reach communities from being digitally excluded in Harpenden and Berkhamsted constituency.
Answered by Kanishka Narayan
As of January 2026, Ofcom reports that 83% of premises in the Harpenden and Berkhamsted constituency have access to a gigabit-capable connection.
For the remaining premises within Harpenden and Berkhamsted which have been removed from Project Gigabit contracts and are not within the scope of suppliers’ commercial plans, Building Digital UK (BDUK) is working to put in place coverage solutions as soon as possible through Project Gigabit. This is in line with the government’s commitment to achieve nationwide gigabit coverage by 2032. A market engagement consultation for suppliers was published on 1 June to confirm supplier interest in relation to the premises that still need coverage in this area.
In the interim, most premises can access superfast fixed wired connections (available to 97% of premises in the Harpenden and Berkhamsted constituency), and connectivity via fixed wireless and satellite connections is also available to many premises.
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