The Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT) has launched a call for evidence on how government can support investment in the UK’s mobile networks and assess whether the existing policy and regulatory framework remains fit for purpose in an evolving communications sector. The review forms part of the government’s wider ambition to achieve nationwide standalone 5G coverage across populated areas by 2030. Through the exercise, DSIT is seeking stakeholder views on how regulation and policy can promote sustainable investment, support innovation and competition, and deliver positive consumer outcomes. The call for evidence closes on 21 April 2026.

The Department for Science, Innovation and Technology in conjunction with the AI Security Institute and the National Cyber Security Centre, has launched a call for information on secure AI infrastructure. The call seeks view fom the AI and cyber security sectors, as well as wider industry and academia, to help the government better understand the current capabilities, practical constraints in the development of secure AI computing systems and potential areas for future research and technical pilot projects. Responses must be submitted by 28 February 2026.

The Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT) has launched a consultation on legislative proposals to give residential leaseholders of flats in England and Wales a new statutory right to request a gigabit-capable broadband connection from their freeholder, who would be under a corresponding duty not to refuse such a request unreasonably. The government explains that high-speed digital infrastructure, a sector worth around £50bn, is increasingly essential for everyday life, supports transformation across public services and the wider economy, and is critical to productivity and the UK’s international competitiveness. Although about 89% of UK premises can now access a gigabit-capable connection, an estimated 1.2 million flats in England and Wales remain without such access and coverage for flats, particularly leasehold flats, lags behind that for other property types, creating a risk that occupants of flats are left behind as gigabit rollout continues.

The Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT) has launched a consultation to collect views on removing barriers for data intermediaries and supporting the development of a trusted and effective UK data intermediaries market. The consultation follows a government call for evidence in 2025, setting out a range of legislative and non-legislative options designed to address these issues. Some of the proposals are more direct, while others can be implemented more quickly or aim to deliver longer-term structural change. The options may be adopted individually or in combination to effectively tackle the identified challenges. The consultation will close on 31 August 2026.

The Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT) has launched an open consultation on its proposed statement of strategic priorities for telecommunications, radio spectrum management, and postal services. The consultation invites views on strategic priorities for fixed and mobile digital infrastructure, spectrum management, telecoms consumer protection, security and resilience, and postal services.

The Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT) has launched a call for evidence on the security of enterprise connected devices, supported by commissioned research from NCC Group revealing multiple security vulnerabilities. The research identified remote code execution vulnerabilities, outdated software, and poor adherence to National Cyber Security Centre Device Security Principles and European Telecommunications Standards Institute EN 303 645 standards across commonly-used business devices. The consultation aims to gather industry views on potential interventions to improve cyber resilience across the UK economy. The call for evidence closes at 11:59pm on 7 July 2025.

The Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT) has opened a formal evaluation process for the Software Security Code of Practice, seeking feedback from both software providers and customers on implementation experiences. The evaluation encompasses organisations' access to and understanding of the code, National Cyber Security Centre's Implementation Guidance, and self-attestation requirements. Participation is open to organisations regardless of their implementation status, with responses intended to inform future policy development. The survey closes on 16 December 2026.

The Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT) has launched a gigabit address checker for people in England and Wales to allow users to see whether their home or business is included in government-backed broadband upgrades, as Project Gigabit rollout continues across rural areas. The service indicates whether premises are covered by existing Project Gigabit plans targeting hard-to-reach locations or by commercial rollout from telecoms providers, as part of the UK government’s aim to reach 99% gigabit coverage by 2032. The announcement also refers to ongoing full-fibre upgrades under a £1.2bn agreement with Openreach covering more than 100 rural towns and villages, as well as 4G mobile coverage delivered through the Shared Rural Network, including recent 4G activation on the Scottish island of Islay.

The Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT) has launched a National Quantum Standards Network (QSN) to co-ordinate standards for quantum technologies. The QSN will be established by the National Physical Laboratory and supported by £10m from DSIT. It will bring together government, industry, academia and standards bodies to help UK companies develop products to internationally recognised standards. The government says the network will support the UK’s global leadership and that co-ordinated standards will accelerate breakthroughs in healthcare, transport and finance and support jobs, investment and growth.

The Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT) has launched a review to advise the government on how to deal with the negative effects of pornography on users and society. The review will cover various aspects, such as the impact of pornography on users of different ages and genders, including the risks of artificial intelligence (AI)-generated pornography. It will also examine the current regulations and enforcement of the pornography industry and other platforms that host pornographic content, and the challenges of identifying and tackling illegal pornography. Moreover, it will explore the connection between the pornography industry and human trafficking, exploitation, and violence against women and girls, and the ways to improve reporting and identification of these crimes. Finally, it will make recommendations to the government on how to address these issues and provide support and guidance to those who need it. Baroness Bertin will conduct the review.

The Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT) has announced the establishment of The Alignment Project, a £15m international research coalition led by the UK AI Security Institute. The initiative creates a three-tier support framework comprising grant funding up to £1m for researchers, £5m in cloud computing credits from Amazon Web Services (AWS), and venture capital investment opportunities. Partners include the Canadian AI Safety Institute, Canadian Institute for Advanced Research (CIFAR), AWS, and Anthropic. The project will be overseen by an advisory board including Turing Award winners and aims to develop technical standards for AI behaviour control and safety assurance.

The Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT) has launched the Life Sciences Transformational R&D Investment Fund Pilot. The fund supports large-scale R&D projects with minimum total costs of £100m and offers grants typically ranging from 10–20% of project costs, capped at £25m per award.