Broadband: South Shropshire
The question
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what progress her Department has made in delivering gigabit broadband coverage to South Shropshire constituency since 2024.
Answered by Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade
According to Ofcom's Connected Nations Spring 2024 report, as for January 2024, 43% of premises in the Ludlow constituency (which became the South Shropshire constituency in 2024 with minor boundary changes) had access to a gigabit-capable broadband connection. This has increased to 62% in January 2026 in Ofcom's Spring 2026 report.
To increase this further, approximately 7,640 premises in South Shropshire are in scope of Project Gigabit contracts being delivered by Openreach, of which 360 premises have already been given coverage. A further 5,260 premises in South Shropshire have been given gigabit coverage through projects under the Gigabit Broadband Voucher Scheme.
The Government is also committed to removing barriers to the deployment of digital infrastructure, helping operators roll out digital infrastructure more quickly and efficiently, including taking forward legislation led by the Ministry for Housing, Communities and Local Government to address broadband rollout in leasehold flats and pursuing reforms to the planning system.
Verbatim has judged this answer against the question that was actually asked — answered, partly answered, or evaded. Sign in to see the verdict →