MID-Scotland and Fife MSP, Alexander Stewart has accused the Scottish Government of failing the Fife Council area’s most vulnerable children, after it admitted that: “Laptops have not yet been issued to any children and young people.”

Schools have been closed since March and parents have been encouraged to home-school whilst accessing online materials provided by teachers.

Mr Stewart said: “Nearly two months ago there was an announcement with much fanfare that for disadvantaged children, the Scottish Government was pledging extra funding for laptops, with the SNP First Minister unveiling plans to invest £9 million for 25,000 laptops or tablets, with internet access provided.

"Absolutely nothing has happened since then, so I lodged a written Parliamentary question to the Cabinet Secretary, asking the Scottish Government directly how many children in my region have received a laptop as a consequence of its £9 million initiative to provide 25,000 children with computers.

"In his response, after the preamble, John Swinney admitted that: ‘Laptops have not yet been issued to any children and young people.’

"This is an absolute disgrace and it means that children who are already suffering as a result of the attainment gap, run the grave risk of being without access to education for nearly six months by the time our schools return.

"The SNP has always said that it would protect the most vulnerable of those to ensure they wouldn’t be left even further behind but this current admission shows that it hasn’t even bothered about ensuring that the poorest pupils have access to digital learning and this reveals an acute negligence at the heart of this Government."