Thank you, convener, I am grateful for this opportunity. First I will associate myself with your opening remarks on the tragic events at Stonehaven and your kind words for the emergency services.
I am pleased to be here to update the committee on our progress towards ensuring that every home and business in Scotland has access to superfast broadband, at speeds of 30 megabits per second or better.
Although the committee has been well aware of the importance of digital connectivity, the past three months has thrown it into even sharper focus, as we have all had to adapt how we work—including in this meeting this morning—as well as how we access healthcare, do business and socialise with friends and family.
The committee has requested that today’s session focuses on each of the three contract areas, or lots, as I might refer to them, of the reaching 100 per cent, or R100, programme. We have also sought to answer in writing your queries on the Scottish broadband voucher scheme, which I hope was useful, but I am happy to answer any further questions about it.
Before we move on to R100, I would like to put on record my huge appreciation for the difference that the digital Scotland superfast broadband—DSSB—programme has made. The Highlands and Islands contract will continue building until the latter part of this year, reaching further locations in the Western Isles, Highland and Moray. Despite challenges due to Covid-19, the rest of Scotland contract has kept up momentum and is now in the close-down phase. Together, those contracts have laid over 16,000km of fibre cable, installed more than 5,000 roadside cabinets and connected more than 950,000 premises, which is 110,000 more than was initially expected.
I want to take the opportunity to thank everyone who has been involved in the DSSB programme, on behalf of our partners. Their efforts have helped extend fibre broadband to around 98 per cent of premises across Scotland. According to data from thinkbroadband, around 94 per cent of those have superfast broadband access. It is a remarkable achievement, reached in combination with commercial development, of course. I hope that the committee will join me in expressing our gratitude and appreciation.
As the committee is aware, the provision of broadband infrastructure is primarily a commercial matter. On that front, telecoms infrastructure providers are rolling out further and faster, which had led to announcements of new fibre investment across Scotland from, for example, Openreach, Virgin Media and CityFibre. However, we also know that commercial providers, when let alone, will not ensure 100 per cent access to the connectivity that we all need and have come to expect.
At the end of last year, we announced that we had signed contracts with BT for the £83 million central lot and the £133 million south lot of the R100 procurement. I am pleased to tell you that work is under way on both the lots. Detailed survey work has been completed in Biggar, with further detailed survey work under way in areas including Dumfries, Maybole, South Queensferry, Burntisland and Perth. We expect the first premises to benefit directly from the new services by the end of the year.
In addition, as of this week, residents and business owners can use our updated online address checker to find out whether they are covered by one of the two contracts, when to expect access and whether they are eligible for a voucher from the Scottish broadband voucher scheme. That will prove a useful tool for individuals and businesses as we move through delivery of R100.
The SBVS, which is our main voucher, will be available to connect the relatively small number of premises that will not be reached by the contracts that we have in place. In addition, an interim voucher will ensure that each and every premises can obtain access by the end of 2021, irrespective of whether it is in later contract plans, for example if it is due to receive full-fibre investment but only after 31 December next year.
We have also been working closely with the UK Government to join up our respective voucher funding and processes, to maximise the impact across Scotland. I can confirm that an agreement is in place, and I will be able to say more on that in the near future, alongside my counterpart, Matt Warman.
Given the on-going legal challenge, I am sure that members appreciate that I cannot comment on the detail of the R100 north lot, but I can confirm that the customers in the north can benefit from the SVBS funding to make progress while the court case is under way. I am happy to answer any questions relating to other aspects of R100, convener, and thank you for your forbearance this morning.