Question reference: S6W-05729
- Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
- Date lodged: 14 January 2022
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Current status: Answered by Kate Forbes on 27 January 2022
Question
To ask the Scottish Government what it is doing to address digital inequalities, in light of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Answer
Since May 2020, the Scottish Government has invested over £48 million in our Connecting Scotland programme, which provides people on low incomes with a device, connection with unlimited data for two years, as well as training and support. Since programme launch 60,000 digitally excluded people in total have been brought online. We are now working to scope out an extension to the programme to reach 300,000 people by the end of this Parliament.
The programme is part of our wider package of support to help everyone in Scotland benefit fully from the advantages of the digital world – from broadband connectivity to digital skills training and support for schools and business.