To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what threshold cost-to-benefit ratio of the West Midlands Combined Authority 5G roll out proposal is required for his Department to release funding for that proposal.

The Urban Connected Communities (UCC) Project, part of the Government’s 5G Testbeds and Trials Programme, is a research and innovation project to trial new 5G technology, services and applications for the public sector, industry and citizens.

The project is in a mobilisation stage of work. Arrangements for the Department to co-fund projects within UCC are in development. These are planned to include business cases, of which the economic case will be part.