Levelling-up funding ‘crucial’ to Scottish communities, says Ross

He added: “We’ll continue to work carefully with the local economies of Scotland to ensure that we deliver the investment required to enhance the infrastructure which will support economic growth.”

Meanwhile, the SNP and Scottish Conservative leaders have both said their parties will target key clashes in constituencies across Scotland.

Douglas Ross said the Tories would go into the general election hopeful of gaining seats “which only the Conservatives and SNP can win”.

He said: “If people unite behind the Scottish Conservatives in key seats, we can beat the SNP, end their obsession with independence and get the focus on the real issues that matter to people.”

John Swinney said his party would campaign on “the damage that’s been done to Scotland by the triple whammy of austerity, Brexit and the cost of living crisis”.

“All of these are the product of Westminster decision-making,” he said. “And the answer to that in Scotland, of course, is for us to make sure that decisions are made in Scotland for Scotland.

“That’s at the heart of the SNP election campaign because we cannot allow Scotland to damaged in the way that we have been.”