Highlands and Islands campaigner, John Erskine, who lodged petition PE2127, calling for the development of a new Digital Connectivity Plan for the Highlands and Islands, has written to Highland MSP, Fergus Ewing, urging him to back the proposal in line with his long-standing calls for the Highlands to receive its fair share of Scottish Government investment.
Mr Ewing has repeatedly argued that it must now be the "Highlands' turn" for major infrastructure funding—most notably in the case of the long-overdue dualling of the A9.
Now, Mr Erskine is calling on him to extend that commitment to digital infrastructure, ensuring that businesses, public services, and rural communities are no longer held back by poor connectivity.
Speaking ahead of the committee session, Mr Erskine said: "The Scottish Government’s response to this petition has been wholly inadequate. Their existing broadband programmes have failed to meet the needs of people across the Highlands and Islands, and the lack of a long-term strategy means the region risks being left further behind."If the Scottish Government is serious about the future of the Highlands and Islands, it must recognise that digital infrastructure is just as critical as roads and transport.
"That’s why I’ve written to Fergus Ewing MSP as a member of the Citizen Participation and Public Petitions Committee, urging him to back this petition and ensure that the region gets the connectivity it needs to thrive."
If continued, the petition could provide a strong cross-party campaigning platform to demand action from the Scottish Government on delivering a comprehensive, future-proofed connectivity plan for the region.
The Citizen Participation and Public Petitions Committee will consider the petition at its meeting in the Scottish Parliament on February 19.
More information on the Petition can be found on the Scottish Parliament website here: https://petitions.parliament.scot/petitions/PE2127 where members of the public from across Scotland can still add their names in support.
