The Minister will announce that Glasgow City Council has won the funding through the Technology Strategy Board to demonstrate how a city of the future will work.

The large-scale demonstrator will be made up of a series of projects that will improve transport and mobility across the city. It will develop programmes to promote healthy living, deliver advanced street lighting to address community safety and perception of crime, and enhance building energy efficiency to provide affordable warmth.

There will be a media briefing at Glasgow City Council Chambers where there will be interview opportunities with David Willetts, Councillor Gordon Matheson, Leader of Glasgow City Council, Professor Jim McDonald, Principal of the University of Strathclyde and Scott Cain, Future Cities Demonstrator Project Leader, Technology Strategy Board.

WHEN: Friday 25 January 2013, 9.35am - 10.15am. There will be a short media briefing followed by one on one interview opportunities.

WHERE: Satinwood Suite, Glasgow City Chambers, George Square, Glasgow, G2 1DU.

PLEASE REGISTER ATTENDANCE AND INTERVIEW REQUESTS BY 5PM ON THURSDAY 24 JANUARY by contacting Paul Kane, Public Relations, Glasgow City Council, on 0141 287 5387 or paul.kane@glasgow.gov.uk.

Notes to editors

1. The Government's economic policy objective is to achieve 'strong, sustainable and balanced growth that is more evenly shared across the country and between industries.' It set four ambitions in the 'Plan for Growth' (PDF 1.7MB), published at Budget 2011:

  • To create the most competitive tax system in the G20
  • To make the UK the best place in Europe to start, finance and grow a business
  • To encourage investment and exports as a route to a more balanced economy
  • To create a more educated workforce that is the most flexible in Europe.

Work is underway across Government to achieve these ambitions, including progress on more than 250 measures as part of the Growth Review. Developing an Industrial Strategy gives new impetus to this work by providing businesses, investors and the public with more clarity about the long-term direction in which the Government wants the economy to travel.

distributed by