Nicola Sturgeon urges Westminster to increase spending on building projects

NICOLA Sturgeon has launched a call for Westminster to increase spending on major building projects at a summit of UK Government heads today

• Scottish Government has published a list of £800 million-worth of ‘shovel ready’ projects that could begin construction before the end of 2013-14

• List of ‘shovel ready’ schemes includes Clyde Gateway industrial development, upgrade of the A68 and a new healt hcentre in Grampian

The Deputy First Minister is attending the British-Irish Council in Cardiff and echoed the demands set out in a letter from finance secretary John Swinney to George Osborne calling for millions of pounds top be injected into Scotland’s ailing construction sector to revive the flatlining economy.

The Scottish Government has published a list of £800 million worth of “shovel ready” projects that could begin construction before the end of 2013 -14.

Ms Sturgeon, Cabinet Secretary for Infrastructure, Investment and Cities, said: “The scale of the UK Governments cuts to public investment are acting as a key drag on economic growth. They are too deep, too quick and are holding the whole of the UK back.

“The Scottish Government is taking forward a range of initiatives to stimulate our economy.

“A key action is a major programme of investment in capital infrastructure - despite the significant cuts by the UK Government to our capital budget of around a third between 2010-11 and 2014-15.

“But there is only so much we can do within our limited powers. That is why we are calling on the UK Government to provide a much needed stimulus to the economy through increasing capital investment which creates jobs and increases confidence in the short term, and creates long term assets for sustainable growth.”

The list of schemes could get underway before the end of 2013/14 and include the Clyde Gateway industrial development project, the upgrade of the A68 in the Lothians and a new health centre and maternity unit in Grampian.

Ms Sturgeon added: “The Chancellor must act in his Autumn Statement in December – the whole of the UK economy needs it. We are ready to put extra spending to immediate use in Scotland, stimulating growth and creating substantial numbers of new jobs.”