A further £1bn is to be provided to the Scottish Government Infrastructure Investment plan.
The plan delivers housing, hospitals, schools and transport infrastructure projects throughout the country.
The Government has said that every £100m of construction activity is estimated to support more than 1,300 jobs, and over the past year, some 40,000 jobs have been supported through investment in infrastructure.
Finance Secretary John Swinney made the announcement alongside the allocation of UK Budget Barnett consequentials for Scotland.
The funding allocations include:
• An additional £31m capital funding over the next two years for local government to further develop the capital infrastructure needed to increase early learning and childcare provision. This will bring the total capital investment to £91m.
• An additional £12m resource funding to local government in 2015-16 to further fund the provision of free school meals for P1 – P3 pupils, with proportionate additional funding available in 2014-15 to reflect the implementation of the commitment from January 2015.
• An additional £10m of support for Help to Buy (Scotland) in 2014-15 which will bringing overall investment to £235m over three years.
• A further £12m this year to further enhance our extensive existing measures to support youth employment, such as Modern Apprenticeships and enhanced vocational pathways.
• £2m over two years to provide further support for those affected by the UK Government's programme of welfare reform.
Mr Swinney said: "Whenever there has been an opportunity to further invest in our economy, this Government has taken it. That is why I am pleased to announce today a number of measures that will boost our economy, create jobs, support skills development and strengthen Scotland's infrastructure.
"We will develop plans to extend our current programme of NPD with an additional £1 billion investment taking us through to 2019 – 20.
"This investment will build on the successes of the current programme, delivering colleges, schools, roads, hospitals and community health facilities across Scotland. It will also provide the construction sector with the long term certainty of a future pipeline of work.
"We know that every additional £100 million of construction activity is estimated to support over 1300 jobs. And then we get the long term benefits of using the asset.
"Further investment in Help to Buy benefits the construction sector, wider economy and plays an important role in supporting aspiring home owners throughout Scotland."
(JP)
Time and date
CONSTRUCTION DIRECTORY
Latest Construction News
15/11/2024
A major milestone has been reached in the UK's transition to a greener energy future. Ofgem has approved the Eastern Green Link 1 project, a £2.5 billion investment that will see the installation of a 196km subsea electricity cable between Scotland and England. The project, a joint venture between ...
15/11/2024
Falkirk Council has secured a £100 million Growth Deal that is expected to create 1,660 jobs and generate £628 million in economic benefits for the area. The Deal, signed by the UK and Scottish Governments, will fund 11 projects, including: • A Carbon Dioxide Utilisation Centre • A Bioeconomy ...
15/11/2024
The Scottish Plant Owners Association (SPOA) has raised concerns that the measures announced in the Autumn Budget could lead to the demise of the plant hire industry in Scotland. The association argues that the increased tax burden and other economic pressures will have a significant negative ...
15/11/2024
Maxi Construction has been awarded a £1.6 million contract by The City of Edinburgh Council to replace the Reinforced Autoclaved Aerated Concrete (RAAC) roof at Pentland Primary School. The phased project will involve the removal of existing roof coverings and ceilings, the replacement of RAAC ...
15/11/2024
Clark Contracts has been awarded a contract to retrofit Scotland's National Retrofit Centre at BE-ST's Innovation Campus. The project aims to transform the building into a living laboratory, showcasing best practices in non-domestic retrofit. The ambitious project will involve a range of ...
15/11/2024
The Scottish Government has announced plans to bypass the villages of Springholm and Crocketford on the A75, a key route linking Scotland to Ireland. Jacobs UK Ltd has been awarded a contract to undertake initial design and assessment work for the bypass. The project is funded by the UK ...
15/11/2024
Dundee City Council has secured a £693,383 grant from the Scottish Government's Recycling Improvement Fund to upgrade its recycling facilities at Baldovie and Riverside. The funding will be used to purchase new waste management equipment, such as roll packers and compactors, to improve efficiency ...
15/11/2024
Homes for Good and Glasgow Credit Union have formed a partnership to address housing inequality in Glasgow and neighbouring areas. Glasgow Credit Union has provided a £2.4 million loan to Homes for Good, which will be used to purchase up to 35 homes for low-income individuals and families. The ...
15/11/2024
The historic Troon station has reopened following a £5m restoration project. The station was extensively damaged by a fire in 2021. Network Rail, in partnership with AmcoGiffen and CPMS, undertook the rebuild, which included the restoration of the station's iconic façade while incorporating modern ...
15/11/2024
BEAR Scotland, on behalf of Transport Scotland, is undertaking emergency works on the A828 between Ledaig and Benderloch to address a safety concern related to a deteriorating rock face. Recent monitoring has identified a fractured rock mass 60 metres above the road, requiring urgent attention. To ...