UK construction firms are being urged to look for work in Mexico, where the government is spending £250bn on infrastructure projects in the next five years.

Lord Jones, UK trade and investment minister, is leading a drive to promote Mexican opportunities to British companies.

He said: “Why go to Mexico? I’ll give 250 billion reasons why. The government’s plan to spend £250bn on ports, airports, railways and roads is a golden opportunity for UK firms. They are also completely redoing Mexico City. Our construction firms have got the expertise and they should be there.”

Of the projects planned, 58% will be done as PPPs. Jones recently took a delegation of seven UK companies to Mexico to promote the country. Among them were two construction firms: Mott MacDonald and Scott Wilson.

Companies working in Mexico include Currie & Brown, which won the contract to manage the development of the country’s £3bn PPP hospital programme in 2005.

Jones added: “The only problem is that it may be difficult to sell the idea to shareholders. But once they understand the magnitude of the opportunity on offer, they’ll change their minds.”