Written question asked by Alan Gemmell (Labour) on Friday, 28 August 2026, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Wednesday, 2 September 2026. It was answered by Melanie Ward (Labour) on Thursday, 10 September 2026 on behalf of the Scotland Office.

Foreign Investment in UK: Ayrshire

Question: 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.

Answer

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.

Secondary information

Type: Written question
Reference: 24219
Session: 2026-27
Subjects: Engineering Manufacturing industries Foreign investment in UK Ayrshire
Contains statistics: Yes
Link: View this Written question on www.parliament.uk