To ask the Minister for the Economy to outline how rural broadband coverage is being improved to support families with (i) homeworking; and (ii) children’s education.

My Department has just completed Project Stratum, which has improved the availability of broadband services to over 81,000 premises. 97% of the premises in the Project Stratum intervention area are in NISRA Band H (open countryside and small villages with population less than 1,000 people).

Project Gigabit is designed to provide access to gigabit-capable broadband where there are no commercial plans. The project is still in the procurement phase as my officials, along with Building Digital UK, are assessing new commercial rollout plans that became available over the summer. That assessment is due to be completed shortly, allowing the procurement to complete and a contract awarded. Details of premises benefitting from Project Gigabit will become available shortly afterwards.