Question reference: S5W-31777
- Asked by: Alexander Burnett, MSP for Aberdeenshire West, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
- Date lodged: 14 September 2020
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Current status: Answered by Paul Wheelhouse on 30 September 2020
Question
To ask the Scottish Government by what date it will announce the roll-out order and delivery timescale for each of the remaining communities that are yet to be connected to Lot 1 of the superfast broadband programme.
Answer
We are focused on finalising the R100 North Lot (Lot 1) contract award with BT as soon as possible to enable us to progress delivery of access to superfast broadband to people, businesses and communities in some of the most remote parts of Scotland.
We anticipate that the contract will be signed by the end of this calendar year. Once contract signature is achieved, work will then be undertaken, as in Lots 2 and 3 previously, to update the speed coverage template for Lot 1, to finalise the intervention area, and to enable survey work at a local level to be undertaken. Parliament will, of course, be kept informed.
Our Scottish Broadband Voucher Scheme (SBVS), which has now launched, will ensure that everyone who requires a superfast broadband connection by the end of 2021 can have one - including those in the R100 North Lot. I am pleased to be able to report strong supplier participation in the SBVS.