Glasgow is set to be a key centre for bio-medical science as the new facilities under construction at the Southern General Hospital are helping to draw in investment to the city.
While the hospital – whose near £1 billion construction was funded by the Scottish Government – is scheduled for completion next year, the cutting edge laboratory facilities that form part of the project are already complete.
This Scottish Government investment comes as part of an overall £1.5 billion package of capital investment in Glasgow, which includes work on the Commonwealth Games, fastlink and Glasgow Subway improvements.
The Westminster Government has today announced that it will contribute £18 million towards life science facilities in the city, after previously announcing a City Deal of £15 million a year for Glasgow.
Commenting, SNP Glasgow MSP Bob Doris said:
“More funding for Glasgow like that announced today is to be welcomed and will help to enhance Glasgow’s role as a centre for bio-medical science – but it is dwarfed by the scale of Scottish Government investment we have seen in the city in recent years.
“The funding announced today underlines just how important the Scottish Government’s decision to invest close to £1 billion in new facilities at the Southern General Hospital truly was.
“By ensuring that Glasgow will have cutting edge health facilities in the years to come, we are helping to attract investment in the sector and the high-quality jobs that come with it.
“That determination to use investment in infrastructure projects to support jobs is clearly the right approach for Scotland’s economy – which is why the funding for the Southern General represents just part of a wider £1.5 billion package of capital investment that the Scottish Government has invested in Glasgow.
“Unlike the Westminster Government, in Scotland we have prioritised using public investment to support jobs and with a Yes vote in September we will be able to do even more to support jobs in Glasgow and across the whole of Scotland.”