Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what evaluation his Department has undertaken of the roll out of superfast broadband in rural communities in (a) the UK and (b) Scotland.

The results of an impact study on the Government's broadband programmes published in November 2013 showed that the programmes would achieve a return by 2024 of £20 for every £1 invested. The study did not disaggregate these results across the UK but 89 per cent of the programme benefits were expected to accrue to areas outside London and the South East of England. Funding of £100.8 million of the Government's initial £530 million superfast broadband programme has been allocated to Scotland and the Government announced an indicative funding allocation of a further £20.99 million for Scotland from the additional £250 million programme in February 2014.