Clarity on growth deal funding

Infrastructure Secretary Michael Matheson is calling for the UK Government to clarify their future investment in Scotland’s growth deals.

In July, Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced that the UK Government will be committing £300 million in extra funding for economic growth deals across the devolved nations but did not set out what Scotland’s share will be and where it will be invested.

Mr Matheson made the request for further information on the investment following a visit to Orkney, where a growth deal for the Islands is progressing.

He said: “I am glad the UK Government has committed to match the Scottish Government’s ambition on 100% coverage of growth deals in Scotland – this is something that we have been seeking for some time.

“However, it is unclear how this £300 million investment in growth deals will be split – and whether it will meet the ambitions of Argyll and Bute, Falkirk and the Islands whose growth deals are progressing.

“For these reasons, I am calling on the UK Government to clarify how the funding will be divided amongst the devolved nations so that we are able to work together to harness the full potential of our regional economies through Scotland’s growth deals.

“We will of course seek to work in partnership to develop these deals, and will commit to matching the UK Government’s investment – as we have done on all deals to date. This will ensure that we are able to deliver a package of transformational investment and add to our existing commitment of investing more than £1.8 billion over the next 10 to 20 years in city region and growth deals and related investments.”