Question

To ask His Majesty's Government, in light of their decision to support a hybrid connectivity project in Papa Stour, Shetland, announced on 27 November 2024, what plans they have, if any, to support further hybrid connectivity infrastructure projects in other rural or island communities in Scotland.

A hybrid connectivity project is being supported through the UK Space Agency’s ARTES programme to demonstrate resilient hybrid connectivity on Papa Stour, combining satellite and terrestrial technologies. The project was contracted on Friday 23 October 2026 and delivery is now commencing. This demonstrator will also assess the potential for the approach to be replicated in other remote and hard-to-reach communities.

Many locations on Scottish Islands are also already benefiting from other projects delivering improved connectivity, including Project Gigabit, the Shared Rural Network Programme and the Scottish Government's R100 programme. Suppliers have incorporated satellite services, such as backhaul over Low Earth Orbit networks, in some of these infrastructure programmes, and others have deployed wireless solutions.

We are also monitoring and further supporting market development for alternative connectivity solutions, including by encouraging spectrum releases and ground station deployments.