Question reference: S6W-26379
- Asked by: Alexander Burnett, MSP for Aberdeenshire West, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
- Date lodged: 21 March 2024
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Current status: Answered by Richard Lochhead on 2 April 2024
Question
To ask the Scottish Government for what reason Scotland is reportedly the last of the four UK nations to confirm its involvement in the UK Government’s Project Gigabit programme.
Answer
The first Project Gigabit funding to be deployed anywhere in the United Kingdom was secured by the Scottish Government in 2021.
A total of £31.2 million of Project Gigabit funding has already been committed for investment in Scotland through the Scottish Government’s own £600 million Reaching 100% (R100) programme to enhance and extend the R100 contract coverage footprint. The R100 contracts are now predominantly full fibre, delivering gigabit capable infrastructure across rural Scotland at pace.
The Scottish Government and Building Digital UK (BDUK) have been working closely to prepare the next phase of Project Gigabit activity in Scotland, with the first local and regional procurements outside of England expected to launch in Scotland imminently.