Chamber
Meeting of the Parliament 30 October 2018
30 Oct 2018 · S5 · Meeting of the Parliament
Item of business
Digital Inclusion
I say to Richard Lyle that I would certainly take his intervention if I had more time.
As I was saying, there is no need to remind me that this is a reserved matter and is the responsibility of the UK Government—just as there is no need to remind my colleagues in the SNP that it is now six years since they promised to deliver superfast broadband to everyone. Only three years of that commitment remain and it is yet to be achieved.
I fully support the motion that has been moved by the minister today. I also support both amendments. I hope that everyone in this chamber will agree that good and reliable access to our digital economy is not a luxury but a necessity. Therefore, in trying to be helpful to the Scottish Government, I ask the minister to return to the commitment that the SNP made in its manifesto and to deliver the R100 programme by May 2021, rather than by the end of that year. After all, would it not be proud to achieve 100 per cent coverage for all by the next election? It would be in its interests to do so.
In the same item of business
The Presiding Officer (Ken Macintosh)
NPA
Our next item of business is a debate on motion S5M-14509, in the name of Kate Forbes, on a digital society for all: working together to maximise the benefit...
The Minister for Public Finance and Digital Economy (Kate Forbes)
SNP
I am pleased to debate how Scotland can become a digital society for all and how we are already well on our way to doing so. I thank the members who signed t...
The Minister for Business, Fair Work and Skills (Jamie Hepburn)
SNP
She did.
Kate Forbes
SNP
Good. Mandy, who uses a tablet, was the recipient of the service user achievement award for pioneering the system by tutoring her neighbours in the technolog...
Jamie Greene (West Scotland) (Con)
Con
My point is less about the delivery of the infrastructure and more about the skills that are required to use it. If it is true that one in five people in Sco...
Kate Forbes
SNP
That is a vitally important point. Digital skills are not just something that we should deliver to a particular section of the society. By the time that we g...
Donald Cameron (Highlands and Islands) (Con)
Con
I take this somewhat belated opportunity to welcome Kate Forbes to the front bench. Representing my home constituency, she will be well aware of the problems...
Stewart Stevenson (Banffshire and Buchan Coast) (SNP)
SNP
The member appears to have cast doubt on the delivery of the R100 programme to 100 per cent of Scottish premises by 2021. On what basis does he claim that on...
Donald Cameron
Con
Quite simply, that is based on the Audit Scotland report that I mentioned. I will move on and provide some local examples. It is easy to talk about digital ...
Colin Smyth (South Scotland) (Lab)
Lab
I welcome Kate Forbes to her new ministerial role and wish her well. Today, almost every aspect of society has been transformed by technological advancement...
Kate Forbes
SNP
I recognise the comments that the member has made about infrastructure. What is his view on how we ensure that, where there is adequate infrastructure, those...
Colin Smyth
Lab
Kate Forbes raises a very important point, which I will deal with in my speech. A large number of groups, whether it is because of income, disability, age or...
Patrick Harvie (Glasgow) (Green)
Green
As others have done, I welcome Kate Forbes to her position. I think that this is the first time that I have been in a debate with her in her new role in the ...
Mike Rumbles (North East Scotland) (LD)
LD
On behalf of the Liberal Democrats, I welcome Kate Forbes to her new role. We wish her well because she knows, as we all do, that delivering the Scottish Gov...
Richard Lyle (Uddingston and Bellshill) (SNP)
SNP
What a shame.
Mike Rumbles
LD
I point out to Mr Lyle that, in my amendment, I was trying to be helpful to the Scottish Government. Its target is for 100 per cent coverage by December 2021...
Stewart Stevenson
SNP
No, it was not.
Mike Rumbles
LD
I have read the manifesto; I am not sure whether the member has done so. I am sure that the Scottish Government could bring forward the date, if it had the ...
Kate Forbes
SNP
Like Mike Rumbles, I believe that universal connectivity is vital. However, my question to him, which is put in a constructive spirit, is about the fact that...
Mike Rumbles
LD
The minister makes a good point. In the same spirit, I say that there is no point in educating people and helping them if they cannot access the service firs...
Richard Lyle
SNP
Will the member take an intervention?
Mike Rumbles
LD
Not on this point. I would rather make my point first; I am running out of time.
Richard Lyle
SNP
Will the member take an intervention?
The Deputy Presiding Officer (Linda Fabiani)
SNP
Mr Lyle, please sit down.
Mike Rumbles
LD
If I had more time, I would be delighted to.
The Deputy Presiding Officer
SNP
Mr Lyle, the member has said that he does not wish to take an intervention. Please respect that.
Mike Rumbles
LD
I say to Richard Lyle that I would certainly take his intervention if I had more time. As I was saying, there is no need to remind me that this is a reserve...
The Deputy Presiding Officer
SNP
We now move to the open debate. Speeches should be of up to six minutes, please. We are a bit pushed for time; no extra time can be allowed. 15:37
Emma Harper (South Scotland) (SNP)
SNP
I am pleased to speak in today’s debate as a representative of the South Scotland region, which is a rural area that has faced challenges in digital competen...
Jamie Greene (West Scotland) (Con)
Con
I welcome Kate Forbes to her role. The renewed focus on the digital economy, connectivity and digital inclusion is welcomed by the Conservatives. After I was...