UK expands “levelling-up fund” to cover Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland

Britain’s finance ministry said on Wednesday it would expand regional funding for economic growth so that it now included Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

The “levelling-up fund” will be increased to 4.8 billion pounds ($6.76 billion) from 4 billion pounds previously, the finance ministry said in a statement.

“By extending the levelling-up fund to be UK-wide, we are ensuring that no community in the United Kingdom is left behind,” deputy finance minister Steve Barclay said in a statement.

($1 = 0.7096 pounds)