Chamber and committees

Questions and answers

Parliamentary questions can be asked by any MSP to the Scottish Government or the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body. The questions provide a means for MSPs to get factual and statistical information.

Written questions must be answered within 10 working days (20 working days during recess)
Other questions such as Topical, Portfolio, General and First Minister's Question Times are taken in the Chamber

Urgent Questions aren't included in the Question and Answers search. There is a SPICe fact sheet listing Urgent and emergency questions.

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Question reference: S5W-02908

Asked by: Rhoda Grant, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 20 September 2016
Current Status: Answered by Fergus Ewing on 4 October 2016

To ask the Scottish Government what meetings it has had in the last year to discuss extending the 100% roll-out target for superfast broadband to 2021, and who attended.

Question reference: S5W-02886

Asked by: Rhoda Grant, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 20 September 2016
Current Status: Answered by Fergus Ewing on 4 October 2016

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide a breakdown of how the £20 million advance paid by HIE to BT that is referred to at page 10 of the August 2016 Audit Scotland Report, Superfast broadband for Scotland: A progress update, was spent; for what reason this advance was paid; whether payment of such advances is normal practice, and what (a) its position is on whether this was in line with and (b) action it took to ensure that this did not breach EU state aid rules.

The £20 million advance payment was made to enable the delivery of the substantial subsea backhaul deployment as part of the Highlands and Islands Digital Scotland contract. Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE) liaised with the Scottish and UK Governments at that time to confirm that the payment was in line with relevant procurement and State Aid rules. The payment was held in a separate account by BT and the funds were drawn down following evidence of eligible expenditure. The interest earned on the funds, which totalled £606,000, was returned to HIE when the £20 million had been drawn down in full. These funds will be used to extend coverage across the region.

Question reference: S5W-02902

Asked by: Rhoda Grant, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 20 September 2016
Current Status: Answered by Fergus Ewing on 4 October 2016

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide details of how it will fund the additional £42 million likely to be necessary to extend broadband that is referred to at page 12 of the August 2016 Audit Scotland Report, Superfast broadband for Scotland: A progress update.

Question reference: S5W-02845

Asked by: Rhoda Grant, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 15 September 2016
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 4 October 2016

To ask the Scottish Government how much funding it will provide toward achieving the aim in the 2016-17 Programme for Government to "equip all our citizens with the skills they need to gain the full benefits of technology" and what the timescale for this is.

The Digital Participation Programme has been in place since 2012. The 2016 programme consists of a Digital Participation budget commitment of £1.9 million to raise the levels of digital participation. Public Library Improvement Funding of £450k has been provided to promote activity within libraries. Additionally, through the Digital Scotland Business Excellence Partnership, we have supported the delivery of the ICT and Digital Technologies Skills Investment Plan with funding of £8.5 million.

The overall impact of our investment so far is that of the four parts of the UK, Scotland has the highest level of basic digital skills. Since measurement began in 2007, the percentage of people in Scotland using the internet has steadily increased; 82% of citizens now have access to the social, cultural and economic benefits the internet can bring.

Extending Digital Participation is an on-going programme which is innovative and responsive to advances in technology. It offers choice to citizens, delivering options from basic digital skills through to employer recognised qualifications.

This approach ensures that in addition to being consumers, citizens have the opportunity to become digital makers. The programme therefore moves beyond ensuring basic digital skills to supporting extracurricular coding clubs, promoting the benefits of being on line and in some instances the provision of Wifi and supported learning in libraries and other community hubs to reduce the barriers to getting on line.

Question reference: S5W-02909

Asked by: Rhoda Grant, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 20 September 2016
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 3 October 2016

To ask the Scottish Government how it will carry out its commitment in the 2016-17 Programme for Government that it will "equip all of its citizens with all of the skills necessary to gain the full benefits of broadband provisions".

Extending Digital Participation is an on-going programme that is innovative and responsive to advances in technology. It embraces a cradle to grave approach and offers choice to citizens, delivering options from basic digital skills through to employer recognised qualifications.

Those who would benefit the most from being online are often those who are the more vulnerable in society. We have formed a unique partnership with Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations. An umbrella organisation for charities which already hold a trusted position within their communities to deliver bespoke digital inclusion projects. In addition we work with Housing Associations and other social landlords providing support to help their tenants to gain or improve their digital skills.

Libraries are also valued delivery partners with an important part to play in increasing the levels and quality of digital participation in Scotland. A network of Digital Champions from each of the local authorities help support the investment in training and growing skills within staff and the public.

Our partnership with Scottish Union Learning is increasing skills within the workplace and our support for extracurricular coding clubs encourages young people to increase their digital skills and improve employability.

Question reference: S5W-02897

Asked by: Rhoda Grant, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 16 September 2016
Current Status: Answered by Fergus Ewing on 30 September 2016

To ask the Scottish Government by what date it will publish the findings of its Reaching 100% superfast broadband project team.

Question reference: S5W-02879

Asked by: Rhoda Grant, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 16 September 2016
Current Status: Answered by Fergus Ewing on 30 September 2016

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide a breakdown of the shortfall in European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) support that is referred to at page 10 of the August 2016 Audit Scotland Report, Superfast broadband for Scotland: A progress update.

The Scottish Government’s original application for European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) resources sought £20.5 million for the Rest of Scotland Digital Scotland Superfast Broadband project. The Scottish Government subsequently reduced the funding sought from the ERDF programme in light of revised criteria for calculating eligible capital expenditure. £12 million was subsequently drawn down.

Question reference: S5W-02877

Asked by: Rhoda Grant, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 16 September 2016
Current Status: Answered by Fergus Ewing on 30 September 2016

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide a breakdown of the £14 million in savings arising from conditions in the contract that is referred to at page 10 of the August 2016 Audit Scotland Report, Superfast broadband for Scotland: A progress update.

Question reference: S5W-02894

Asked by: Rhoda Grant, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 16 September 2016
Current Status: Answered by Fergus Ewing on 30 September 2016

To ask the Scottish Government what level of simultaneous use would cause an appreciable break or slowdown in broadband service.

Question reference: S5W-02896

Asked by: Rhoda Grant, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 16 September 2016
Current Status: Answered by Fergus Ewing on 30 September 2016

To ask the Scottish Government what meetings it has had with the UK Government regarding the negotiations for a universal service obligation for broadband suppliers.