Recommendation 20

HM Government Acknowledged

(21a) The Government is committed to making sure that no one is left behind by the connectivity revolution and to delivering nationwide gigabit connectivity as soon as possible. Today, over 40% of premises can access gigabit-capable networks, up from just one in ten in November 2019. By the end of the year, 60% will have access. Rural broadband connectivity is a priority for the Government. We are investing £5 billion in Project Gigabit to provide high speed broadband connections in remote and rural areas and deliver a minimum of 85% gigabit-capable coverage by 2025. Phase One of the Project Gigabit delivery plan was launched in March 2021. In August, we announced that up to 1,850,000 additional premises across 26 English counties will get access to gigabit speed internet, bringing the current total number of premises in scope for government funded coverage to 2.2 million. This is in addition to the tens of millions of premises that are being connected through commercial rollout. Project Gigabit also includes up to £210 million in vouchers to help hard to reach communities with the cost of connecting to gigabit, and up to £110 million to turn remote public buildings into ‘gigahubs’ bringing fibre cables to the heart of hard to reach communities off which suppliers can build. We are also determined to explore all possible options for improving broadband connectivity for the very hardest to reach premises in the UK and are reviewing all responses to our call for evidence, ‘Improving connectivity for Very Hard to Reach premises’. We are also working with industry to deliver improved mobile coverage in rural areas. In March 2020 we announced that we had agreed a £1bn deal with the Mobile Network Operators to deliver improved mobile phone coverage via the Shared Rural Network (SRN). This will see operators collectively increase geographical mobile phone coverage throughout the UK to 95% by the end of programme in 2025, underpinned by legally binding coverage commitments. This will level up the country by improving mobile coverage for an extra 280,000 premises and 16,000km of roads—giving the UK the world- class digital infrastructure it deserves. In June we announced further details on how the SRN will improve 4G connectivity across the UK to enable rural businesses and communities to thrive. The SRN will help businesses connect better, often helping reduce traditional operating costs; and the increased availability of mobile connectivity on the move via the SRN will allow outdoor rural businesses to work more efficiently. (21b) their views, actively involving them in the design and development of policy and solutions to ensure that the outcomes respond to their needs. Defra runs a regular series of visits to a diverse range of farms across England. Since the Covid-19 pandemic these have taken place through a series of virtual farm visits. This has allowed a significantly wider audience of both Defra staff and members of the industry to attend and benefit from the mutual sharing of information and insights. We have recently started returning to physical farm visits in line with easing restrictions on Covid-19 and are also maintaining the virtual visits. full diversity of agricultural techniques that are already producing environmental benefits. Soil health is a key potential ‘win win’ area, where improving it can both enhance farming productivity and provide environmental benefits, which is why two of our first standards under the Sustainable Farming Incentive focus on soils. Further information on the detail of the Environmental Land Management schemes can be found in the ATP update (www. gov.uk/government/publications/agricultural-transition-plan-2021-to-2024). management. As of the 26 August we have 43 live tests and trials and a further 13 proposals in development with stakeholders, filling identified gaps. 39 tests and trials have already finished. These have actively involved 3000 farmers and members of the industry in testing and shaping our full range of solutions. We intend that the Sustainable Farming Incentive scheme will be sufficiently straightforward for farmers to make applications and implement agreements, using guidance that will be available on GOV.UK—without the need for expert advice (for example, from a land agent, adviser, agronomist or similar) in most cases. The GOV.UK guidance provides practical, step by step explanations of how to do what is needed and what good looks like. These participants (and their advisers, if applicable) were also recently invited to one of six live information sessions. Delivery Partners (Natural England, Rural Payments Agency, Forestry Commission and the Environment Agency) will support applicants with advice on statutory responsibilities and assisting regulatory permissions where they are required. primary providers of advice where that is sought. An important point of piloting will be to test whether this is true in practice, and we will adjust the scheme bas