The broadband connection

TOM Gordon’s article (Down to the wire – fears legal challenge may put brakes on rural rollout, June 28) starts off as a factual account of the ongoing legal proceedings over the contract to roll out superfast broadband to the north of Scotland. However, by the end it has become a rant against the Scottish Government.

At no point does Mr Gordon point out that telecommunications, including broadband, is a UK Government responsibility. UK Government policy is, in general, to “encourage” telecommunications companies to make the investment in the expectation that they will get enough subscribers to make a return on that investment. Where this is unlikely, for example, in rural areas, it will consider funding the investment. However, it has no objection to other bodies, e.g. the Scottish Government, local authorities, communities, funding investments. Any Scottish Government action is to compensate for the lack of UK Government action.

Mr Gordon quotes Liberal Democrat MP Jamie Stone as saying “rural communities have endured years of delays and excuses on its (SNP) failure to install much-needed digital