Asked by: Alan Gemmell (Labour - Central Ayrshire)
Question to the Scotland Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, what recent discussions he has had with the Scottish Government on attracting international investment to Ayrshire.
Answered by Melanie Ward - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Scotland Office)
Ministers and officials from the Scotland Office regularly engage with Scottish Government colleagues, local authorities, and economic development partners to drive inward investment and deliver regional economic growth across Scotland.
Recent discussions have focused on maximising the impact of the Ayrshire Growth Deal, including major milestones like the groundbreaking event at the Ayrshire Innovation Park last December and Ryanair’s expansion at Prestwick in March. The UK Government remains committed to working collaboratively with the Scottish Government and all Ayrshire local authorities to present a unified offer to international investors and secure high-value jobs for Ayrshire.
Asked by: Alan Gemmell (Labour - Central Ayrshire)
Question to the Scotland Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, what steps his Department is taking to increase foreign direct investment into Ayrshire's aerospace, advanced manufacturing and engineering sectors.
Answered by Melanie Ward - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Scotland Office)
The UK Government actively promotes Ayrshire’s world-class aerospace, advanced manufacturing, and engineering capabilities to global markets.
Key steps include:
Prestwick Aerospace: Supporting the development of the Aerospace and Space Innovation Centre at Prestwick through the Ayrshire Growth Deal, positioning the region as a premier hub for MRO (Maintenance, Repair, and Overhaul) and advanced manufacturing.
Global Trade Missions: Highlighting Scotland's sector strengths, including Ayrshire’s engineering heritage, in trade delegations and global investment summits to attract international capital.
Strengthening links with key markets: For example meeting with Florida Governor Ron DeSantis and an inward delegation to strengthen economic and cultural partnerships, with a focus on shared opportunities in space exploration, financial services, technology, and the export of goods
The Scotland Office continues to advocate for Ayrshire’s strategic industrial assets on both national and international stages.
Asked by: Alan Gemmell (Labour - Central Ayrshire)
Question to the Scotland Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, how many inward investment projects his department has supported in Ayrshire in each of the last five years.
Answered by Melanie Ward - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Scotland Office)
The UK Government is providing substantial funding across Ayrshire to drive long-term economic growth, strengthen local infrastructure, and boost trade and investment.
Key direct investments and funding initiatives provided to the region include:
● Ayrshire Growth Deal: A £103 million UK Government investment supporting major economic projects across aerospace, life sciences, and digital infrastructure in Ayrshire.
● Local Regeneration Fund: Over £61 million in direct UK Government capital grants delivered to the region, including £37.45 million for commercial and low-carbon infrastructure across North and South Ayrshire, and £23.69 million for critical B714 transport upgrades.
● Pride in Place Funds: Over £40 million in direct 10-year endowment funding reconfirmed for Ayrshire towns, including Irvine, Kilmarnock, and Ayr North, to support community-led high street regeneration, housing, and local civic infrastructure.
● UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF): £17.35 million allocated across North, South, and East Ayrshire Councils to support local community projects, business development, skills, and adult numeracy programmes.
● Local Growth Fund: Delivering £11.8 million of funding directly to Ayrshire Regional Partnership to support regional economic development and local business growth.
Asked by: Alan Gemmell (Labour - Central Ayrshire)
Question to the Scotland Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of Freeports and Green Freeports on the economy in Ayrshire.
Answered by Melanie Ward - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Scotland Office)
The UK Government is committed to driving sustainable economic growth, creating high-quality jobs, and boosting trade across all parts of Scotland. While Scotland's designated Green Freeports, Inverness & Cromarty Firth and Forth Green Freeport, are geographically focused, they are expected to yield broader supply chain, trade, and investment benefits for regional economies right across Scotland, including Ayrshire.
Specifically, Scotland's two Green Freeports could potentially generate over 50,000 jobs, with advanced manufacturing hubs like Ayrshire positioned to absorb substantial supply chain, logistics, and spillover demand.
Alongside the national economic impact of Green Freeports, the UK Government is also directly investing in Ayrshire’s long-term economic prosperity through our £103 million commitment to the £251 million Ayrshire Growth Deal. This is complemented by targeted UK Government local funding streams, including £11.8 million via the Local Growth Fund and £40 million via Pride in Place initiatives, ensuring local leaders in Ayrshire have the direct backing needed to drive town centre regeneration, support local businesses, and maximise regional investment opportunities.
Asked by: Alan Gemmell (Labour - Central Ayrshire)
Question to the Scotland Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, what progress his Department has made on the Ayrshire Growth Deal.
Answered by Ian Murray - Minister of State (Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport)
The Scotland Office is working closely with local partners and the Scottish Government to deliver for the people of Ayrshire through the £251 million Ayrshire Growth Deal.
As part of this, my department is supporting a programme review of the Deal in order to make strategic changes to ensure the originally envisaged benefits of the Deal are realised.
This includes proposals from the Ayrshire Councils to develop the new Prestwick space and aerospace proposition. This is a normal part of the Deal process, to ensure the programme can respond to external challenges such as inflation whilst having the greatest possible impact.