MSP Worries As Bidders Withdraw From Superfast Broadband Project

26th November 2011

Highlands & Islands Labour MSP, Rhoda Grant, is again calling on the governments at Holyrood and Westminster to urgently increase their funding allocations for broadband.

This call from Mrs Grant comes as another bidder, Cable & Wireless, withdraws their tender for the BDUK superfast broadband pilot to be conducted in the Highlands & Islands.

Mrs Grant said "I am deeply concerned to learn than a second bidder, Cable & Wireless, has withdrawn its tender for the Highlands & Islands broadband pilot. This follows Fujitsu backing out last week due to the lack of public money being invested in the project. This pilot is of vital importance to every community throughout the Highlands & Islands and it is essential that more public money is invested in this project - so far only 10% of the estimated costs have been secured."

Mrs Grant continued "Westminster is presently investing more in broadband in Scotland than our own Scottish government is and this needs to change. That said, I am appealing again to Westminster to release the remaining money it has set aside for rural broadband (£167m) but I am also calling on our government at Holyrood not only to introduce its broadband action plan with immediate effect but also to urgently increase the amount it is investing in Scotland's digital future".