Scottish Broadband Voucher Scheme: FOI release

Information requested

Information concerning the R100 Scottish Broadband Voucher Scheme (R100 SBVS) and the main fibre-to-the-premises (FTTP) rollout of the R100 scheme.

Response

Where information is available I have provided a response to each of your questions below.

R100 Scottish Broadband Voucher Scheme (R100 SBVS)
1) As of today:
a) what is the total sum the Scottish Government has paid out to provide main vouchers worth up to £5,000 to properties within i) LOT 1; ii) LOT 2: iii) LOT 3?
b) How many households have applied for the main voucher within i) LOT 1; ii) LOT 2; iii) LOT 3.
c) How many households are eligible to apply for the main voucher within i) LOT 1; ii) LOT 2; iii) LOT 3

The below table shows:

a) the total value of main vouchers issued;
b) the total number of properties that have applied for a main voucher, and;
c) the total number of properties eligible to apply for a main voucher.

Figures are presented for each of the three R100 programme regional lots (Lot 1 North, Lot 2 Central, and Lot 3 South) as requested, and accurate at 29/09/2022. As we regularly monitor commercial build, the figures shown in column (c) below can vary.

	a) Total value of main vouchers issued (£)	b) Total number of properties that have applied for a main voucher	c)   Total number of properties eligible to apply for a main voucher
i) Lot 1 (North)	£2,034,722.26	2,487	36,099
ii) Lot 2 (Central)	£577,992.48	1,059	30,015
iii) Lot 3 (South)	£310,026.44	668	6,407
Total	£2,922,741.18	4,214	72,521

Please note that the above figures relate to the total numbers of main voucher properties, as R100 programme data (including R100 SBVS) held by the Scottish Government does not distinguish between households and businesses.

In addition, the above figures in column b) include the total number of vouchers that have been requested, issued, installed and cancelled. While the cancelled vouchers will no longer proceed, they are included in the total number of properties that have applied for a main voucher. The figures also include vouchers which were part of a pre-registered package (PRP) which were either approved, awaiting decision or part of a PRP which was either rejected or withdrawn by the supplier. Where a voucher is cancelled, that property will again become eligible for the main voucher scheme.

2) Please confirm what actions have been taken to advertise the main voucher scheme to all eligible households? Please also confirm the advertising budget and total spend so far on advertising?

Our website (www.scotlandsuperfast.com) is our primary means of publicising the R100 programme, of which R100 SBVS is a key component part. People can enter their address details to find out what the R100 programme means for them. In addition, we have publicised R100 SBVS via the press, social media, and through continued stakeholder engagement activity across Scotland. We have received extensive coverage and reach across local and national media outlets and social media.

Our total communications and stakeholder engagement budget and spend is allocated across all digital connectivity programmes of work, including R100 SBVS. In March 2021 the Scottish Government distributed postcards to around 30,000 homes and businesses in South and Central Scotland that were eligible for the R100 SBVS (both main and interim vouchers) incurring a specific R100 SBVS spend of £12,875.65 plus VAT.

Main fibre-to-the-premises (FTTP) rollout

For the purposes of this request, we have assumed “Main fibre-to-the-premises (FTTP) rollout” to mean FTTP connections delivered through the three R100 programme regional contracts, awarded to BT plc in December 2019 (Central, South) and December 2020 (North) respectively.

1) Please confirm if the contractor responsible for the delivery of the main (FTTP) R100 programme has completed its survey work and reported this to the Scottish Government. If so, please confirm how many additional properties have been identified for inclusion in the main R100 rollout in:
a) Lot 1
b) Lot 2
c) Lot 3

Each R100 contract (North, Central, and South) is broken down into multiple Phases. These Phases are programmed to be surveyed and built over the life of the contract by BT plc’s delivery partner, Openreach. With regards to additional properties, a total of 2,637 additional premises have been added into the North and South contracts through recent Change Requests.

In addition to these, Openreach is also taking advantage of opportunities to increase coverage in contract build areas. This incremental additional build is known as "overspill", and is reported to the Scottish Government once connections to premises have been successfully delivered. The number ofoverspill premises delivered for each contract as at 31/08/2022 is set out in response to Question 2 below. This is the most recent assured data that we hold.

2) As of today, how many properties have been connected to FTTP via the R100 programme
for the following:
a) Lot 1
b) Lot 2
c) Lot 3
d) Highland Council

The below table shows the number of properties connected to FTTP via the R100 programme main contracts, including premises connected through incremental additional build, known as “overspill”. Figures are presented for each of the three R100 programme regional contracts (North, Central, and South) and the Highland Council area as requested. Figures are accurate as of 31/08/2022.

	Number of properties connected
	Contract	Overspill
a) Lot 1 (North)	2,222	502
b) Lot 2 (Central)	3,000*	1,051
c) Lot 3 (South)	4,850	1,125
d) Highland Council	661	153

*The Central contract has also connected 1598 premises to FTTC.

3) As of today, how many properties are awaiting to be connected to FTTP via the R100
programme for the following:
a) Lot 1
b) Lot 2
c) Lot 3
d) Highland Council

The below table shows the number of properties waiting to be connected to FTTP via the R100 programme contracts. Figures are presented for each of the three R100 programme regional contracts (North, Central, and South) and the Highland Council area as requested. Figures are accurate as of 31/08/2022.

	Number of properties awaiting connection
a) Lot 1 (North)	58,542
b) Lot 2 (Central)	27,642
c) Lot 3 (South)	17,039
d) Highland Council	12,112

4) Please confirm if the contractor is on track to complete 10% of the (FTTP) R100 rollout for Quarter 2, 2022-23 for properties in Lot 1?

The contractor is no longer expected to deliver 10% of the R100 contract build by Quarter 2, 2022-23. On 19th August 2022 the Scottish Government, in conjunction with UK Government, announced an extension to the R100 North and South contracts. In order to accommodate this additional build, contractual milestones were revisited and are now reported in 6 monthly phases. The next milestones for network build are due for completion by the end of December 2022.

As noted at the time of that announcement, delivery timescales have been extended to accommodate this additional build. This means that delivery no longer aligns with the indicative figures provided in response to FoI 2021-00259495.

5) Please confirm the date for completing the full rollout of the (FTTP) R100 programme?

This information is available on the Scottish Government website at: Delivering faster internet - gov.scot (www.gov.scot). If, however, you do not have internet access to obtain this information from the website, then please contact me again and I will send you a paper copy.

About FOI

The Scottish Government is committed to publishing all information released in response to Freedom of Information requests. View all FOI responses at http://www.gov.scot/foi-responses.