That's all from Holyrood Live on 9 February 2016.

We'll be back from 10am with the Public Audit Committee as it takes evidence from Scotland’s new Chief Constable, Phil Gormely. 

Image source, Scottish Parliament/Andrew Cowan

Mr Swinney says he is satisfied Community Broadband Scotland has sufficient funding, but if he feels there is more demand he will attach priority to finding new resources.

The finance secretary turns to mobile coverage and says he is pressing to get the added value of 4G coverage.

He says Mr Russell has been severely critical of BT and he will pass that on in a meeting on Thursday. 

Mr Swinney says all he could get past the Smith Commission was to say Ofcom had to have a more direct relationship with the Scottish government.

He praises the chief executive of Ofcom, Sharon White, for her efforts to that end. 

Deputy First Minister John Swinney says this issue is by far the largest issue with which he corresponds with members of the parliament.

Mr Swinney says: "As a society we are now living our lives with broadband as an essential service."

The finance secretary highlights the progress due to the £410m Digital Scotland Superfast Broadband partnership.

The Perthshire North MSP says his focus is on finding the solutions to try to ensure coverage is maximised. 

SNP MSP Bruce Crawford says one of the main problems are those who find themselves in a "naught spot".

The Stirling MSP says there are several of these across his constituency. 

Mr Crawford says people have a right to this in the same way they had a right to telephone connectivity all those years ago. 

Independent MSP Jean Urquhart welcomes the investment from the Scottish government to extending broadband to rural areas and island communities that she represents.

Image source, bbc

Ms Urquhart says: "There was a time when superfast broadband was seen as a luxury but now it is seen as a necessity of life."   

SNP MSP Stewart Stevenson says when he comes to parliament his internet connection leaps by 800. 

Mr Stevenson says it took him 40 minutes to book a rail ticket the other night.

The SNP MSP says the issue of exchange only lines is one that occurs across Scotland.

Lib Dem MSP Liam McArthur says the problems in Shetland are replicated in his constituency of Orkney.

Mr McArthur says the priority in any future funding must be to address the "digital divide".

He highlights the divide's impact on the health service, which is impaired in rural areas due to poor coverage. 

SNP MSP Kenneth Gibson says the Deputy First Minister is aware of the situation.

Mr Gibson says everyone should be entitled to internet access.

The SNP MSP says the Scottish government have invested in the superfast broadband roll out and have pledged more investment.

Residents in rural areas do not believe they can wait any longer, he says. 

Mr Gibson says residents should not feel as if they are being left behind the rest of Scotland. 

Conservative MSP Alex Johnstone says the BBC has told him a 4G service can now be had at the top of Mount Everest, so think what we should achieve here. 

Mr Johnstone says it is clear problems exist across the whole of Scotland. 

Image source, bbc

The Tory MSP says mobile phones are now a vital safety tool in rural Scotland.

He calls on the minister to make the resources available to the whole of Scotland.  

SNP MSP Mike McKenzie says nothing has transformed island life more than the internet. 

Mr McKenzie says those on islands went from living in a "backwater" to become fully fledged member's of the Scottish community.

The SNP MSP says the irony is that increasing usage and demand means that the internet service is now inadequate.

He says there are technological challenges of managing a difficult terrain. 

Mr McKenzie says the current commitment on connectivity is not good enough because islanders are always left behind.

Highlands and Islands MSP Rhoda Grant says the Western Isles has the worst broadband speed.

Ms Grant says the Highlands and Islands Broadband Project has made a real difference, but there still needs to be a fight to get 100% coverage.

In particular this would protect the most vulnerable.

Parts of Orkney, Hebrides, Highlands, Argyll and Bute, Moray, Dunbartonshire and Renfrewshire were due to get faster broadband in the first half of last year.

The Scottish government said 54,000 more homes and businesses would benefit from the latest rollout of Digital Scotland, a public-private partnership. 

Image source, PA

Forty-three places were to be offered access to high-speed fibre broadband. 

The government said it was committed to delivering "world class" connectivity in Scotland by 2020. 

The new locations were to include Stornoway, Tomintoul, Lochgilphead, Campbeltown and Rothesay. 

More than 216,000 homes and businesses can already get speeds of up to 80Mbps through the £410m Digital Scotland Superfast Broadband partnership.

Mr Russell says his constituents can't take this anymore from BT.

Mr Russell points out the case of an elderly constituent who lost her landline last year and whose alarm pendant has not worked since before 22 December.

Image source, BT

This despite repeated calls being made on her behalf to BT.

He says BT is letting that lady down and other constituents across Argyll and Bute.

SNP MSP Mike Russell says the rollout of the broadband project is continuing apace.

The Argyll and Bute MSP says the real problem lies with BT which provides the infrastrucfure for all the rest.

He says many of his constituents have a major problem with BT.

The SNP MSP says there is a crisis in BT in Scotland in how it delivers.

The Lib Dem MSP says fast internet is a service that many people take for granted and he very looks forward to the day it will be across Scotland. 

Mr Scott says numerous constituents believe they will not benefit from the latest rollout of Digital Scotland.

The Lib Dem MSP says people are frustrated by the lack of progress. 

Mr Scott adds that "not-spots" in mobile phone coverage, including 2G and 3G, are far more common in rural and island communities. 

Full implementation of superfast broadband and universal mobile phone coverage can counter falling population in outlying areas while bringing significant economic benefits, he insists. 

The Lib Dem MSP says plugging the remaining gaps in coverage is likely to require a range of different technologies. 

He calls for the Scottish government to work with partners to find solutions for households and businesses in harder-to-reach communities and prioritise investment in those places that fall below the average or have no access to broadband and mobile phone coverage.

Mr Scott uses his motion to insist reliable and affordable broadband and mobile phone coverage is essential for businesses and households looking to access a range of services. 

Image source, Thinkstock

The Shetland MSP says the current Digital Scotland Superfast Broadband programme has vast regional variations, with only 75% of premises in Orkney and 77% of premises in Shetland being reached by the end of 2016. 

This compares with the 95% target across Scotland as a whole by March 2018, he says. 

Lib Dem MSP Tavish Scott begins by saying the thriller Shetland is on the BBC at the moment, which is obviously fiction as there have been no recent murders on the island and Dougie Henshall is seen repeatedly using his mobile.