Tory MSP claims SNP ministers ‘stole the weans IT’ after downgrading free tablet pledge for school pupils

Scottish Government previously promised digital device for all youngsters

Opposition MSPs have claimed the SNP will be remembered as the Government that “stole the weans IT” after ministers “deprioritised” a pledge to give tablets to every school pupil in Scotland.

The Scottish Government came under fire earlier this month after it emerged there was no budget allocation for digital inclusion, with Education Secretary Jenny Gilruth saying the scheme would now be targeted specifically at disadvantaged families with children.

The SNP had promised ahead of the Holyrood election in 2021 that all pupils would get an age appropriate laptop, Chromebook or tablet.

Deputy leader of the Scottish Conservative Party Meghan Gallacher MSP speaking at the Scottish Conservative party conference. Andrew Milligan/PA Wire

However, The Scotsman reported in January that the Government had not distributed or directly funded any devices for pupils since April 2021, the month before the election.

The Government had previously spent £25 million on 72,000 laptops and tablets in 2020/21, as schools faced closure and disruption during the pandemic.

Local councils have also been rolling out their own programmes, reaching 208,000 pupils by the end of 2022, on top of the 72,000 supported by the Government. There are more than 700,000 school pupils in Scotland.

Scottish Conservative deputy leader Meghan Gallacher quizzed Ms Gilruth on the policy at education questions in Holyrood on Thursday.

She said: "I’m afraid it is broken promise after broken promise, from failing to close the poverty-related attainment gap, to the roll-out of free school meals.

"Parents, teachers and pupils will now remember the SNP as the Government who stole the weans IT.”

Liberal Democrat education spokesman Willie Rennie also said ministers had “deprioritised” the commitment and it was now effectively means-testing the roll-out.

Ms Gilruth responded: "The Government has invested £25m in devices and connectivity. That has resulted in over 72,000 devices and 14,000 connectivity packages being distributed to disadvantaged learners all over Scotland,” she said.

"However, I do find it quite remarkable that Ms Gallacher has come to the Chamber today to complain about the investment going to support digital connectivity across the country, given that of course it is her party that has cut this Government’s budget, particularly in relation to capital, by close to 10 per cent in real terms.

"That is having a direct impact on the spending priorities of this Government, meaning there is less funding to go into things like education.”