Chamber and committees

Is there a position that the Scottish Government wants to reach in terms of improving Scotland’s position in those arrangements?

The report is timely. It is a long time since I have seen statistics on digital exclusion. In fact, the last time that I had a figure for my area of Midlothian was pre-Covid, and it was scary. Ofcom said that 34 per cent of people did not have access to the internet or a smart phone. As we will probably discuss later, Covid moved that situation on, which is a very welcome benefit for those concerned.

The audit focus group highlighted the fact that people often have to rely on third parties and family members for informal support in order to access digital services, such as paying utility bills online, which is a concern. Can you expand on the focus group’s findings, particularly with regard to the impact that that can have on those who need help?

On the statistics that indicate where there is exclusion, if someone is using family members and so on in order to access the internet and do some essential day-to-day stuff online, does that mask the issue in the figures? In other words, how do you know that people are doing that and what proportion of people are doing that? Is that figure of 15 per cent actually 20 per cent? How do you work that out?

If someone does not have anyone to support them, it is easy to pick that up, statistically, but, if they are getting support and assistance with day-to-day access, you could argue that they are okay. However, there are questions about confidentiality and all sorts of things involved in that situation as well as the right that people have to access services. Clearly, there is no real way to pick that up and any figure for that would be a guesstimate.

Has there been any actual evaluation of the impact?

Is there any intention that an evaluation should take place? Is that part of the programme?

You moved smoothly on to my next question, which was about Connecting Scotland. I think that you have answered that.

What has the joint national digital strategy achieved so far? Can you clarify what impact the lack of a clear plan and accountability has on tackling digital exclusion?

Is there an assumption that everybody wants digital services? Is there an assumption that, if those programmes reach out to everybody who is digitally excluded, they will all be happy and cheerful and want to sign up? Or will there always be a core that, for various reasons—maybe by choice or because of physical disabilities or old age—will never pick those services up? Will we always have a proportion of people who need extra assistance?

I am conscious of the time, but I have a couple of quick questions. In March 2021, in its “Key audit themes: Managing public sector ICT projects” report, our predecessor committee recommended that the Scottish Government should appoint

“a senior individual ... to assume overall responsibility and oversight of all public sector IT projects.”

The Scottish Government responded to say that it would “consider” that as part of its work

“to deliver the updated digital strategy.”

Are you aware of whether that recommendation was actioned?

That is fine.

My final question is for Mike Neilson. Why does the Digital Office for Scottish local government not include digital exclusion as part of its work programme? Is there any sign that that approach might be amended?