40,000 jobs are to be created across Scotland this year through investment in infrastructure, according to deputy First Minister Nicola Sturgeon.

Ms Sturgeon announced the investment in schools, hospitals, roads and other infrastructure as the Scottish government published an update to its multi-billion Infrastructure Investment Plan (IIP), first unveiled in December 2011.

The capital investment programme is on course to spend £3.1bn for 2012/13; a figure set to rise further in 2013/14 when a total of £3.4bn of capital investment is planned.

Projects becoming operational in 2013/14 include the Aberdeen Community Health and Care Village, Lasswade and Eastwood High Schools, Dumbarton Academy, Auchmuty High School and Glasgow School of Art estate development.


Some of the key points of the latest report on the IIP include:

- Over 2012, nine of the major infrastructure projects included in the IIP, with a value of over £600m, were completed and are now in use;

- Good progress on major projects such as the Forth Replacement Crossing, the new South Glasgow Hospitals and Scotland's Schools for the Future programme;

- Newly updated - and more detailed - investment pipelines -- containing 30 major programmes and over 100 individual 'live' projects.

Nicola Sturgeon was visiting the £800m Glasgow Southern Hospitals project when she made the announcement.

New figures show the project has created 390 new jobs for people in and around Glasgow as at the beginning of January 2013.

Ms Sturgeon said: "This Government is determined to invest in Scotland's infrastructure - our schools, roads and hospitals - both to stimulate growth in the short term and lay the foundations for long term success.

"We are on course to spend £3.1bn on projects in communities across Scotland in 2012/13, supporting some 40,000 jobs.

"That is good news for our economy and our construction industry, which we know benefits from the certainty and vision of the future the Infrastructure Investment Plan provides."

(IT)