Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, how many households in (a) Na h-Eileanan an Iar and (b) Scotland have accessed the Universal Service Obligation scheme for broadband.

Neither Ofcom, nor BT as the broadband Universal Service Provider for Scotland provides a breakdown at a constituency level of how many premises have taken up the broadband Universal Service Obligation (USO). However, Ofcom data shows that the number of potentially USO-eligible premises in Na h-Eileanan an Iar has reduced from 2,476 premises in March 2020, to 595 in October 2022, due to a combination of commercial rollouts, improved 4G Fixed Wireless Access services, government intervention and USO delivery.

As of October 2022, Ofcom Connected Nations 2022 reported that, in Scotland, there have been 110 broadband Universal Service Obligation orders resulting in 583 premises connected.