New £120m Aberdeen maternity and cancer units announced

A new maternity facility had been called for

A new maternity unit and cancer centre are to be built at Aberdeen Royal Infirmary.

Finance Secretary John Swinney announced £120m of funding for the two health care infrastructure projects.

After a recent report highlighted a string of cleanliness failings, NHS Grampian said that only a completely new maternity hospital would eradicate all the problems.

Another £100m will be earmarked for the Schools for the Future programme.

This funding will help local authorities in Scotland build new and refurbished schools.

Mr Swinney told MSPs: "This investment will build on the successes of the current NPD programmes, delivering colleges, schools, roads, hospitals and community health facilities across Scotland.

"It will provide the construction sector with the long-term certainty of a future pipeline of work that will promote growth and help create jobs."

NHS Grampian said it "warmly welcomed" the announcement.

It said staff and the public would be involved in shaping the services.