Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what steps the Government is taking to provide superfast broadband in (a) rural communities and (b) West Aberdeenshire and Kincardine constituency.

Over 94 per cent of UK premises have access to superfast broadband and coverage is on track to reach 95 per cent by the end of the year. Superfast broadband coverage will extend beyond that to at least another 2 per cent of premises. For premises not covered by superfast broadband, the government will ensure universal broadband of at least 10Mbps. Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire are participating in the testing of the gigabit voucher scheme as part of the Local Full Fibre Networks Programme and all local bodies in Scotland and the UK will be able to submit bids for further projects under the programme later this year.