To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what progress has been made on the Rural Community Broadband Fund initiative; and if she will make a statement.

Applications under the Rural Community Broadband Fund have resulted in 22 projects, totalling around £13.5 million, both community and local authority led, for areas not in scope of the Government's mainstream superfast rollout programme. Of this, 17 local authority led projects have been developed totalling around £12.5 million and are due to be delivered as extensions to county council contracts under the main rollout programme. A further five community led projects have been contracted under the fund, representing approximately £1.15 million in grant funding. The fund is now closed.