Day: April 3, 2025

Ian Murray to focus on jobs and investment in USA visit

US investors invited to Edinburgh for a Global Investment Summit to help boost jobs and investment

Jobs and investment in Scotland will be top of the agenda today [Thursday 3 April] when Scottish Secretary Ian Murray, Lord Mayor of London Alastair King and Scottish Financial Enterprise Chief Executive Sandy Begbie meet key sectors in a series of meetings in New York during Tartan Week.

In a co-ordinated effort aimed at boosting growth in Scotland they will invite companies to attend the Scottish Investor Summit – organised by Scottish Financial Enterprise and The City of London Corporation – to be held in Edinburgh in October this year.

The event will be key to encouraging inward investment in Scotland – investment which can boost Scotland’s economy, create well paid jobs and boost living standards, putting more money back in people’s pockets. 

The New York meetings will showcase Scotland’s key strengths in financial services, clean energy and life sciences to international investors. This will be held at the UK Consul General’s residence in New York and at the offices of BlackRock, a global investment management corporation with a significant presence in Scotland. 

Secretary of State for Scotland Ian Murray said: “At a time when we are celebrating Scotland on the international stage, we want to highlight the exceptional investment opportunities in innovative industries.

“These meetings and roundtables are at the heart of Brand Scotland, selling the nation on the global stage. By strengthening these international partnerships through our Plan for Change, we’re laying the groundwork for the Edinburgh Global Investment Summit.”

Lord Mayor of London Alastair King said: “Tartan week is not just an opportunity to celebrate the strong cultural and economic links between Scotland and the US, it is also a chance to deepen them further especially in financial services.

“That is why I am in New York speaking to major US businesses and investors and promoting the forthcoming Scottish Investment Summit in Edinburgh in October

“The theme of my mayoralty is ‘growth unleashed’, aiming to reignite the City’s appetite for positive risk and fully leverage the white heat of new technology to fuel economic growth across the United Kingdom. One of the best ways to do that is through greater cooperation with the US in financial services – which is a major part of both the Scottish and wider UK economy.”

Chief Executive of Scottish Financial Enterprise Sandy Begbie CBE said: “Tartan week is an excellent example of the soft power which Scotland commands across the globe, but especially in the US. These roundtables provide just a small taste of the investment opportunity in Scotland.

“The Scottish investment summit later this year will showcase in detail the very best of Scotland’s financial services, renewables and life science to global investors. This coupled with opportunities to engage with government stakeholders and investment prospects highlight the unique opportunity the summit will bring.”

The Scottish investment summit, to be held in Edinburgh in October, will bring together major global investors, UK industry leaders, higher education institutions, and government representatives. Around 150 senior-level attendees are expected at the summit, with at least half representing significant global investors. 

The summit will showcase the investments that have already been made, as well as the rationale behind why firms made the decision to invest in Scotland and what have been the returns and benefits to them as a result. It will also provide opportunities for investors to engage with investment prospects that currently exist in our investment pipeline, as well as government and regulatory stakeholders.

Scottish Secretary Ian Murray is ‘further strengthening diplomatic, cultural and business ties with the United States’ during a five-day visit this week to Washington DC and New York.

As part of the UK Government’s Plan for Change, Brand Scotland is boosting economic growth by promoting Scottish products and services and while attracting international inward investment.

While in Washington, Secretary of State for Scotland Ian Murray signed a strategic partnership agreement with The Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo to promote Scotland worldwide.

As part of the Government’s Plan for Change, Brand Scotland supports delivering security and renewal by kick-starting economic growth. This new partnership aims to support Scottish businesses in trading internationally, encouraging foreign direct investment, and promoting Scottish culture globally.

Thirty performers from The Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo including pipers, drummers, fiddle players and dancers have accompanied the Secretary of State on his visit to the United States. They kicked off with a performance at Washington’s iconic Capitol building to mark the beginning of Tartan Week.

Secretary of State for Scotland Ian Murray said: “Scotland has an enviable international reputation, with our culture, products and services renowned worldwide. This partnership with The Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo – one of Scotland’s most iconic cultural institutions – will help us champion Brand Scotland across the world.

“Kickstarting growth is the key to delivering the government’s Plan For Change, and selling Scotland to the world will deliver that. This Tartan Week we will be celebrating Scottish culture and seeking new opportunities for growth. I can think of no better way to start than with a performance by the Tattoo in front of an iconic building.”

Jason Barrett, Chief Executive of The Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo, said: “As we celebrate our 75th anniversary, we are delighted to partner with Brand Scotland to bring the very best of Scotland to the USA for Tartan Week.

“Showcasing Scottish heritage on the global stage is at the heart of the Tattoo, and we are thrilled to inspire audiences while promoting Scotland not just in the USA, but around the world.”

The Tattoo has long been a cultural ambassador for Scotland, and their presence in the US and on future trade missions will encourage investment and promote Scottish business through performances and profile. The Tattoo Performers will also march with the Secretary of State down 6th Avenue in New York as part of the annual Tartan Day parade on Saturday 5 April.

The Tattoo will go on to support Brand Scotland trade missions in Japan and Australia later in the year.

New temporary library proposed at Davidson’s Mains Primary School

Modular building will provide essential services for local community until longer-term solution agreed

A new temporary library is being proposed at Davidson’s Mains Primary School, providing Blackhall Library’s key services while plans are developed for a long-term replacement for the previous building at Hillhouse Road.

Blackhall Library has been closed since September 2023, following the discovery of Reinforced Autoclaved Aerated Concrete (RACC).

Options to replace the RAAC in the longer term are complex due to the extent of work required, the potential costs and the wider condition of the building. 

The Council’s latest budget, agreed last month, includes a planned £15m to sustainably replace Blackhall Library.

A 12-week community engagement exercise will open after the Easter break to consider options (including refurbishing the existing building, rebuilding it or relocating to another site) to help find the preferred longer-term solution.

It is estimated it could take three to four years to deliver the final solution.

A mobile library service has been provided since Blackhall Library’s closure, but the limited space means it isn’t possible to deliver the full range of library services that residents expect.

The new temporary building is planned to open in the autumn, with construction works beginning in the summer break to avoid disruption to the school.

It will include provision for both children’s and adult libraries alongside dedicated areas for teens, studying and a multi-purpose meeting space. The building will be fenced off from the rest of the school site with segregated access. Opening hours are still to be determined, but will be different from school hours to prevent congestion at the start and end of the school day.

A number of improvements are also proposed at Davidson’s Mains Primary School as part of the scheme. These include improving the path outside the existing school gate and library site entrance to address concerns around congestion, cutting back hedges blocking the pavement opposite the school, and improving the junction crossing point either side of school entrances with a new continuous footway to make this safer for pedestrians. Parking restrictions immediately outside the school boundary will also be strengthened.

Further improvements to the school and wider area are being considered and a working group involving the project team, the school management team and parent council representatives has been established for the duration of the project.

Councillor Val Walker, Culture and Communities Convener, said: “We know how important it is that people across Blackhall and Davidson’s Mains have access to quality local services in places that are convenient and accessible for them.

“That’s why we’re proposing a temporary library at Davidson’s Mains Primary School until a long term solution can be delivered. At the same time, we’re improving access around the school site to create a safer environment for everyone.

“We want to make sure the school and local community are involved in how the service is delivered and the types of activities that will take place at the replacement library. The school will be able to make use of the facility, and we hope that the closer relationship with the school will bring wider benefits for learning for all.

“We also want to ensure that the longer-term solution delivers the best possible outcome for everyone who uses these services, and we look forward to hearing from residents and people across the local community when we launch our consultation on the full replacement for Blackhall Library in the spring.”

The Council is submitting a Planning Application for the temporary facility. The working group, with the school and Parent Council representatives, will continue throughout the process of delivering the temporary library facility and associated improvements.

Wider community engagement and consultation on the longer-term solution for the library will commence after the Easter break, with details to be published in due course.