Asked by: Ged Killen (Labour (Co-op) - Rutherglen and Hamilton West)
Question to the Scotland Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, what recent discussions he has had with the Scottish Government on improving digital connectivity; and what recent discussions he has had with that Government on improving broadband (a) connections and (b) speeds to new housing developments.
Answered by David Mundell
I have regular discussions with the Scottish Government to discuss a wide range of issues, including connectivity across Scotland. I also have regular discussions with DCMS regarding connectivity issues in Scotland.
The agreement brokered by DCMS between the Home Builders Federation (HBF) and Openreach offers full fibre broadband to new builds at no cost to the developer when threshold conditions have been met. Virgin and GTC have similar agreements with the HBF. DCMS’s Barrier Busting Task Force are in the process of measuring the impact of these agreements and will report on them once that work is complete.
Asked by: Ged Killen (Labour (Co-op) - Rutherglen and Hamilton West)
Question to the Scotland Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, pursuant to the Answer of 5 February 2018 to Question 125135, on Housing: Broadband, what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of the Government’s brokered agreement to connect new build developments in Scotland; and what recent representations he has received from (a) Scottish Government Ministers and (b) local authorities on that agreement.
Answered by David Mundell
I have regular discussions with the Scottish Government to discuss a wide range of issues, including connectivity across Scotland.
The agreement brokered by DCMS between the Home Builders Federation (HBF) and Openreach offers full fibre broadband to new builds at no cost to the developer when conditions of threshold have been met. Virgin and GTC have similar agreements with the HBF. DCMS’s Barrier Busting Task Force are in the process of measuring the impact of these agreements. DCMS meet regularly with representatives from the Scottish Government and Scottish local authorities on a wide range of issues, including connectivity and new build developments.
Asked by: Ged Killen (Labour (Co-op) - Rutherglen and Hamilton West)
Question to the Scotland Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, whether he plans to renew Keith Cochrane's membership of the Joint Management Board of the Scotland Office at the end of his three year term.
Answered by David Mundell
The Scotland Office has not made any decisions on the future membership of the Joint Management Board.
Asked by: Ged Killen (Labour (Co-op) - Rutherglen and Hamilton West)
Question to the Scotland Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, what steps he is taking to ensure that major public sector construction projects in Scotland held by Carillion will still proceed as planned.
Answered by David Mundell
The UK Government has instructed the Official Receiver to maintain public services across the UK. Those public services which are provided in Scotland by Carillion through contracts with devolved bodies are for the relevant devolved bodies to oversee. The UK and Scottish Governments are in close contact at all levels, and are working together constructively.
Asked by: Ged Killen (Labour (Co-op) - Rutherglen and Hamilton West)
Question to the Scotland Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, how many meetings he had with Keith Cochrane during his term as a member of the Joint Management Board of his Department.
Answered by David Mundell
Keith Cochrane attended nine meetings of the Joint Management Board between December 2015 and December 2017.
Asked by: Ged Killen (Labour (Co-op) - Rutherglen and Hamilton West)
Question to the Scotland Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, whether he had any discussions with Keith Cochrane at meetings of the Joint Management Board of the Scotland Office on the financial health of Carillion.
Answered by David Mundell
No.
Asked by: Ged Killen (Labour (Co-op) - Rutherglen and Hamilton West)
Question to the Scotland Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, whether Keith Cochrane in his role on the (a) Joint Management Board of his Department or (b) Government Network of non-Executive directors raised the prospect of a Government bail-out of Carillion.
Answered by David Mundell
No.