Argyll and Bute latest region to benefit from UK Government funding
Secretary of State for Scotland Alister Jack has today [2 October 2019] announced £25 million for a new Growth Deal covering Argyll and Bute.
The move is the next step towards completing the UK Government’s ambitious City and Growth deals programme in Scotland.
To date, the UK Government has committed £1.4 billion to the programme, which will create tens of thousands of jobs over the next 10 to 15 years.
In July, Prime Minister Boris Johnson pledged £300 million to ensure all parts of Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland are covered by city or growth deals.
Deals for Falkirk and the Scottish islands - completing the rollout in Scotland - will be announced in the near future.
As with previous deals, the UK Government commitment is expected to lead to additional investment by the Scottish Government and local partners.
The UK Government will work with partners to agree and develop an exciting set of projects that will boost the local economy and deliver skilled jobs.
Scottish Secretary Alister Jack said:
The Argyll and Bute deal follows a series of UK Government announcements that will support the Scottish economy.
They include:
In addition, it was announced at the weekend that the Scottish Government’s Budget will receive an extra £290 million as a result of a new hospital building programme in England. The sum was on top of an additional £1.2 billion in the recent spending review.
To strengthen the Union and Scotland’s place in the UK, the Government has:
Public spending was £13,862 per head in Scotland in 2017/18, compared with a UK average of £12,090. The difference contributes to a Union dividend worth nearly £2,000 for all Scots.
UK Government funding has been announced for the following City and Growth deals in Scotland: