Committee
Public Audit Committee 23 September 2015
23 Sep 2015 · S4 · Public Audit Committee
Item of business
Section 23 Report
“Superfast broadband for Scotland: A progress report”
Thank you. I totally agree with a lot that has been said. Stuart McMillan talked about planning. A lot of the regional plans do not take in the infrastructure—they just tell us where building is taking place. If business is still to be considered in areas of high development, that is the sort of thing that we need to know, along with who is paying for it and all the rest of it. A perfect example can be seen outside Edinburgh. As soon as you pass Edinburgh airport you fall off a cliff, in terms of broadband provision. People in Kirkliston have been screaming out for broadband. Lack of broadband is killing business there and Kirkliston is only a matter of minutes from Edinburgh. The problem does not just affect places like the islands or wherever. I must watch my language, but we need to ensure that there are no more mess-ups like there were in Edinburgh or Aberdeenshire—I think that it was somewhere like that. There was going to be broadband provision there but it fell foul of state-aid rules. What the UK Government and Scottish Government are doing, BT’s plans and the planning system all need to be considered together.
In the same item of business
The Convener
Lab
Agenda item 4 is consideration of a response from the Scottish Government to a letter from the committee regarding the AGS report on broadband. Do members ha...
Colin Beattie
SNP
I have had a look through the response. Superfast broadband is obviously a very important issue that is not going to go away, but we have probably achieved a...
Tavish Scott
LD
First, I apologise for interrupting; I had not realised that the meeting had resumed. I was continuing a discussion about agriculture. Mary Scanlon and I fo...
Stuart McMillan
SNP
I agree with colleagues, but it struck me when I read the clerk’s paper that there is probably a planning aspect to the issue, which Audit Scotland might wan...
Mary Scanlon
Con
I read the Government’s response, which was as expected. It responded to all the questions, but it remains the case that there is uncertainty about the futur...
The Convener
Lab
The consumer is losing out in this debate. I receive feedback that constituents are frustrated. Stuart McMillan makes a good point about new-build developmen...
Stuart McMillan
SNP
I want to clarify that my comments were on the planning system, not planning per se. They were mostly about the planning system and any potential planning ga...
Nigel Don
SNP
I am absolutely with you, convener. There are two sides to the issue. We need to keep an eye on this, because large sums of public money are being spent. We ...
The Convener
Lab
I will take Colin Beattie, then Richard Simpson.
Colin Keir (Edinburgh Western) (SNP)
SNP
I am Colin Keir, convener.
The Convener
Lab
I am sorry.
Colin Keir
SNP
Thank you. I totally agree with a lot that has been said. Stuart McMillan talked about planning. A lot of the regional plans do not take in the infrastructu...
Dr Simpson
Lab
I agree with much of what has been said. It seems that the promises that are made are not being fulfilled. Broadband speeds often fluctuate with the volume o...
The Convener
Lab
Do we agree to note the submission and to refer the report and evidence to the Infrastructure and Capital Investment Committee? Members indicated agreement.
The Convener
Lab
Thank you. As agreed, the committee will move into private for the remaining items. 11:25 Meeting continued in private until 12:59.