MSPs Welcome Broadband Figures for Aberdeenshire

North-east MSPs have welcomed figures showing more homes are connected to superfast broadband.

Aberdeenshire East MSP Gillian Martin and Banffshire and Buchan Coast MSP Stewart Stevenson have welcomed the most recent statistics from Thinkbroadband.

It comes after significant investment from the Scottish Government.

The new figures show 83.4% of homes now have superfast broadband compared with only 16.6% in 2014 – a 66.8% increase.

A report published this week from Ofcom also found that 172,889 properties across Scotland have been connected to superfast broadband in the last year alone.

Despite connectivity and broadband remaining reserved to Westminster, Scotland is the only part of the UK that has guaranteed 100% superfast broadband access.

The Scottish Government is investing £600 million in the R100 programme, the single biggest public sector investment in digital connectivity in the UK, Westminster has contributed less than £21 million to the project – just 3% of the total funding.

Commenting, Aberdeenshire East MSP Gillian Martin said:

“These latest figures show a huge improvement compared with previously.

“It is so important homes are connected to superfast broadband – especially when the demand has increased due to home working.

“It’s also been important to keep families and loved ones connected too.

“The Scottish Government has made a commitment to invest £600 million in the R100 programme which will ensure superfast broadband speeds reach every corner of Aberdeenshire and Scotland.”

Commenting, Stewart Stevenson MSP said:

“Broadband is a reserved issue to Westminster, but successive UK governments have sat on their hands and done next to nothing to connect Scottish homes to superfast internet speeds.

“While the Tories might be happy to sit in the slow lane, this SNP Government won’t stop until 100% of Scottish homes are connected to superfast broadband by the end of 2021.”