Question
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what steps he is taking to support rural community organisations undertaking community-led broadband installations.
Answer
Through the Gigabit Broadband Voucher Scheme (GBVS), the government provides a subsidy of up to £4,500 for residents and businesses towards the cost of installing gigabit-capable broadband via local community-led broadband projects.
Approximately 2,300 premises in Stirling and Strathallan have received a gigabit-capable connection via the GBVS and its previous iterations. The voucher scheme is currently paused in the constituency while Building Digital UK finalises the scope of a wider Project Gigabit contract for Central and Northern Scotland.