Commenting after an Ofcom report found that Scots are the least likely in the UK to have a broadband internet connection, North East MSP Nanette Milne has stepped up her calls for better broadband coverage.
The report showed that just 61% of Scots have broadband, compared with 74% of people across the whole of the UK.
Commenting, Nanette Milne MSP said:
“This is deeply concerning and confirms a widely held suspicion that Scotland is lagging behind on broadband. Scotland was keeping pace with the rest of the UK in the last decade and we cannot afford to fall behind now. The fact that those in rural areas of Scotland – such as Aberdeenshire – are even less likely to access broadband is particularly worrying.
“Part of the problem in many communities in Aberdeenshire is that broadband access is too often either slow or non-existent. I have worked closely with a number of communities to fight for improvements to their broadband access. However, it is clear that the problem needs to be addressed on a wider scale.
“In our manifesto for this year’s election, my party pledged £135m to match funding from business investors to ensure that rural communities enjoy a fast broadband service. This complimented pilot funding being made available by the UK Coalition Government. But the SNP Scottish Government needs to do far more.
“If we are to take advantage of emerging trends for home based working, develop the new business opportunities and unique lifestyle benefits our rural communities offer and also reach the extremely tough carbon emissions targets we have set by reducing unnecessary car usage then we need a comprehensive, urgent and far sighted action plan for connectivity infrastructure investment.”