Resolving Access Issues to Deliver Broadband Roll Out

That the Parliament supports the roll out of broadband across Scotland to ensure that as many households as possible have speedy, reliable and high quality digital connectivity; believes that there are ongoing and significant barriers to broadband rollout in multi dwelling units (MDUs) across Scotland caused by issues in securing wayleave permissions or access rights for broadband companies to enter and upgrade to broadband within the communal areas of buildings; understands that this has impacted hundreds of premises across Glasgow Maryhill and Springburn and many thousands more across Scotland; believes that changes to the Electronic Communications Code 2017, a reserved matter, are required to enable access; notes that the UK Government is seeking to improve MDU access through its Leasehold and Freehold Reform Act 2024; believes that as this ownership type does not exist in Scotland, the Bill requires to be amended to take account of Scotland’s ownership provisions, and encourages the Scottish and UK governments to work constructively to amend this legislation to ensure that MDU access issues are resolved in Scotland to ensure a new digital divide does not emerge should appropriate legislative provisions not be enacted simultaneously across the UK.