While food and drink, renewable energy and tourism carry an equal measure of importance to the Scottish Government’s economic strategy, no rural business will be able to reach its potential without access to high-speed broadband technology, writes Philippa Stephen.
Making the concession during his keynote speech at the Scottish Land & Estates spring conference, Finance Secretary John Swinney said ensuring every person in Scotland has “full digital connectivity” poses one of “the greatest challenges” to the Scottish Government in achieving fundamental economic progress.
“We have every reason to be optimistic for future growth, investment and development in Scotland,” said Mr Swinney, pointing to the great economic success to date of the food and drink, renewables and tourism industries.
Tourism in particular, he said, remains central and “crucial” to rural productivity, contributing an estimated £3.1 billion to the Scottish economy every year.
“With Homecoming 2014, which will position Scotland on the international stage as a dynamic and creative nation, coupled to the international tension that will surround the other major events in Scotland the Commonwealth Games, the Ryder Cup and the referendum vote in September we certainly will have the focus of international attention on what is happening in Scotland this year,” said Mr Swinney.
“Therefore, exploiting the natural linkages between our landscapes, our attractions and the role of individual enterprises must be seen crucial to the success of Scotland’s tourism strategy.”
Where previously the focus has been on individual sectors and what they produce, the Finance Secretary said it is time to ensure that Scotland has the greatest possible connectivity between these sectors.
“I will be the first to acknowledge that one of the greatest issues that we need to address is the issue of digital connectivity in rural Scotland,” said Mr Swinney.
“Digital connectivity now is literally fundamental to the operation of business activity in rural Scotland and fundamental to domestic life in rural Scotland into the bargain.”
He said the Government is investing heavily to roll out next-generation broadband in a fashion which meets a “significant proportion” of needs in all areas of rural Scotland.
“The Government has committed more than £240 million to the superfast broadband Scotland programme, which will extend next generation broadband access to 85% of premises across Scotland by 2015-26 and 95% by 2017-18,” said Mr Swinney.
Mike Storey, from Marketing Argyll, told Mr Swinney the lack of broadband internet is not only driving people away from running a business in rural areas, but from living in them, too.
“As we understand it, the current rollout of superfast broadband is only expected to reach the major cities and towns and not the more peripheral rural areas.
“This will have a devastating impact upon areas such as Argyll,” Mr Storey told Mr Swinney.
“How are you going to stop these rural areas from becoming emptied of not just businesses, but people too?”
Conceding there will be some of the more “hard to reach” areas of Scotland where installing the infrastructure required for full superfast broadband will present logistical issues, Mr Swinney said innovative ideas, such as Community Broadband Scotland, will help bridge gaps in connectivity.
“We cannot, must not and will not ignore the fact that there will be other communities, individuals and business that will face challenges in getting access to that level of broadband capability, which we recognise to be crucial to the economic success of rural Scotland,” said Mr Swinney.
“It is simply not possible for me to overstate the importance that Holyrood attaches to the installation of full digital connectivity going forwards.”