Business telecoms improvements urged in Scotland

26/11/2009

Scottish ministers should be doing more to support rural small firms by investing in business telecoms, it has been suggested.

Labour MSP Peter Peacock has written to the rural affairs secretary Richard Lochhead in an effort to boost spending on telecoms in rural areas, reports the Aberdeen Press and Journal.

He is urging the government to invest a further £15 million in broadband improvements, which he believes will "boost much-needed public investment in supporting local communities get the better broadband access they want and need if they are to keep up with the urban areas and be competitive in business".

"Everyone is seized of the need to do more, and this windfall cash gives the cabinet secretary the perfect opportunity to do just that," Mr Peacock added.

Better broadband access for businesses and the local community would provide firms with the choice of introducing flexible working, which director of ecommerce at GoToMyPC Andrew Millard believes can be beneficial for companies as well as employees.