Asked by: Torcuil Crichton (Labour - Na h-Eileanan an Iar)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what steps he is taking to help improve broadband connectivity in rural communities.
Answered by Chris Bryant - Minister of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
According to the independent website ThinkBroadband.com, over 86% of UK premises can access a gigabit-capable broadband connection.
More than £2 billion of contracts have now been signed to provide gigabit connectivity to over a million more premises. The vast majority of the premises to be covered by these contracts will be in rural areas.
This includes the first Project Gigabit contract in Scotland which was announced last month, and we aim to announce further contracts in the coming months.
Asked by: Torcuil Crichton (Labour - Na h-Eileanan an Iar)
Question to the Scotland Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, what steps he is taking to promote Scotland internationally.
Answered by Ian Murray - Secretary of State for Scotland
Brand Scotland, the Scotland Office’s programme of international trade and investment promotion, is about selling Scotland to the world.
I have already visited Norway, Singapore and Malaysia, to promote our food and drink, energy, and defence sectors. Next month, I will be in Washington D.C and New York for the famous Tartan Week.
Closer to home, I was delighted to meet my Honourable Friend last week to discuss how Brand Scotland can support some of his constituents’ finest products - Harris tweed and Scottish seafood - and I commend his outstanding work in this area.
Asked by: Torcuil Crichton (Labour - Na h-Eileanan an Iar)
Question to the Scotland Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, what recent progress he has made with Cabinet colleagues on the green energy transition in Scotland.
Answered by Ian Murray - Secretary of State for Scotland
I have been working closely with my cabinet colleagues to achieve our clean energy Mission.
Scotland has a huge role to play, not least through GB Energy - headquartered in Aberdeen and backed with £8.3bn. It will work to deliver clean energy, lower bills, and bring the jobs of the future to all parts of Scotland.
This is on top of the largest ever Contracts for Difference round and the National Wealth Fund, which will mobilise billions into our world-leading clean energy industries.