Question reference: S6W-05235
- Asked by: Alasdair Allan, MSP for Na h-Eileanan an Iar, Scottish National Party
- Date lodged: 20 December 2021
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Current status: Answered by Kate Forbes on 24 December 2021
Question
To ask the Scottish Government, in light of reports that only a small amount of people have engaged a local provider to apply for their R100 interim voucher, what communication it has made with eligible households in the Western Isles to inform them of the impending deadline for doing so.
Answer
The interim voucher portion of the Reaching 100% Scottish Broadband Voucher Scheme (R100 SBVS) has been extended by three months, taking the closure date from 31 December 2021 to 31 March 2022. This extension was announced via a news release and Digital Scotland social media accounts on 1 December 2021, and was subject to positive coverage across local and national news outlets. I also publicly announced the extension during Portfolio Questions on 9 December 2021.
All information on the Scotland Superfast website, including FAQs, has subsequently been updated. Officials have also briefed Scottish Local Authorities – including Comhairle nan Eilean Siar – on this.
We are planning further promotional activity in early 2022 to make members of the public aware of the impending deadline.