Skip to main content
Site logo

Main navigation

  • SNP Failures
  • About us
  • News
  • Get involved
  • Campaigns
  • People
  • Contact
Site logo

Edward Mountain MSP welcomes Minister’s clarity on broadband top-up vouchers

  • Tweet
Tuesday, 12 January, 2021
Edward Mountain MSP

Households which have already applied for the £5,000 Scottish Broadband Voucher Scheme can link up with the UK Government’s Rural Gigabit Connectivity Programme to claim a top-up without having to make a retrospective application.

This means homes and businesses could receive an extra £1,500 and £3,500 respectively from the UK Government on top of the Scottish Broadband Voucher Scheme.

The vouchers are available to all properties that will not have access to the SNP Government’s delayed R100 programme, which is on course to fail in its target of connecting all of Scotland to broadband by 2021.

The Scottish Government and BT only agreed the contract to deliver superfast broadband across the Highlands in December 2020.

Edward Mountain MSP has said the Scottish Government’s dithering on the procurement process means that “broadband will not be rolled out in full until at least 2026 or 2027.”

Edward Mountain MSP commented:

“I welcome the UK Government’s top-up to the Scottish Broadband Voucher Scheme. This additional funding could really help those properties which were finding the cost of connecting to broadband unaffordable and just out of reach. 

I am also pleased for the Minister’s clarification that applicants will not have to make a retrospective application in order to receive the top-up from the UK Government.

The pandemic has taught us how vital the internet is for doing business, working from home and staying in touch with family. 

However, it is deeply frustrating for many Highlanders that they are having to apply for vouchers when they were promised a full-fibre connection by 2021. This is yet another broken SNP promise to the Highlands.

Broadband will not be rolled out in full until at least 2026 or 2027, given the SNP’s Government has only just signed the procurement contract to deliver fibre broadband to the Highlands.

The SNP’s dithering and delay has left our region without the vital infrastructure it needs right now.”

 

  • Local News

You may also be interested in

Edward Mountain

Edward Mountain

MSP, Highlands & Islands Region
​​​​​​​Edward joined the Army after he left school and served for twelve years reaching the rank of Major. During his time in the Army he completed tours in Cyprus, Germany, Canada, Uganda, Spain and Eygpt.

​​​​​​​Worries that scrapped vaccination plan may impact roll-out in Highlands and Islands

Friday, 15 January, 2021

The Shadow Health Secretary, Donald Cameron, has expressed concern after the SNP Government was forced to remove a Covid vaccination plan just hours after it was published.

Show only

  • Articles
  • Holyrood News
  • Local News
  • National News
  • Opinions
  • Reports
  • Speeches
  • Speeches in Parliament
  • Westminster News

Highland Conservatives

Footer

  • About RSS
  • Accessibility
  • Cookies
  • Privacy
  • About us
  • Get involved
  • Policy Forum
Site logoPromoted by A Anderson on behalf of E Mountain, S Mackie, J Halcro Johnston, D Cameron and Highland Conservative and Unionist Association, all at 109 Church Street, Inverness, IV1 1EY
Copyright 2021 Highland Conservatives. All rights reserved.
Powered by Bluetree