In her Programme for Government announcement in September, First Minister Nicola Sturgeon set out a commitment to invest an additional £7bn, over and above existing plans, on schools, hospitals, transport, digital connectivity and clean energy by 2026.

The new commission will identify “key strategic investments” in Scotland to boost economic growth and support public services.

It will also be asked to examine the establishment of a Scottish National Infrastructure Company.

Infrastructure secretary Michael Matheson confirmed the establishment of the commission on the opening day of SNP conference in Glasgow yesterday.

He said: “We have already committed to increasing Scotland’s infrastructure spending to internationally competitive levels, and in establishing an Infrastructure Commission we will ensure that our additional £7bn investment delivers maximum benefits to our economy and public services.

“The creation of an Infrastructure Commission was a key recommendation of the Growth Commission report and shows our commitment to make maximum use of all the economic levers at our disposal.”