Motion · S5M-22089 · 18 Jun 2020

Calls for BT Internet to be Extended to People of School Age

Lodged by Emma Harper Standard Motion 15 supporters

The motion

That the Parliament notes the recent introduction of six months free broadband by BT in England for people of school-age to help with their education; understands that this scheme has been introduced in England as the result of discussions between the UK Department for Education and BT; notes that it is designed to help those young people to complete assigned education who have been challenged to do so but who have a lack of internet access in their households; notes that lack of internet access can be due to a number of reasons, from affordability to parental choice; agrees that this scheme is a welcome step as it considers that it will undoubtedly help many with education at home; expresses concern that BT has not yet made provisions for such a scheme to be rolled out across Scotland, where many young people would equally benefit from having six months of free internet access; calls on BT to set out whether it plans to offer such a scheme to school-age people across Scotland to provide equality of education across the four nations of the UK, and thanks Scotland’s young people for all they are doing to ensure that the spread of COVID-19 remains as low as it possibly can be in Scotland.

Supporters (15)

Source: the Scottish Parliament motions and amendments record.