This item was published during the term of a previous administration that ended in April 2007
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Regional Selective Assistance grants
07/06/2006
Companies in Scotland accepted £59 million worth of Regional Selective Assistance (RSA) grant offers last year related to the creation or safeguarding of more than 8,000 jobs.
The RSA Annual Summary 2005/06, published today, shows that:
- Scottish firms accounted for 67 per cent (101) of the total number of RSA offers accepted (151)
- The 151 offers accepted in 2005/06 are related to projects with planned capital expenditure of £245 million
- Small and Medium Sized Enterprises (SMEs) accounted for more than three quarters (114) of the RSA offers, accepting total grant of more than £17 million
Deputy Enterprise Minister Allan Wilson said:
"RSA continues to support a large number of companies to develop and grow, bringing vital employment opportunities to the Assisted Areas of Scotland and helping to grow our economy.
"Companies of all sizes and from across a wide range of sectors benefited from RSA during the year - these ranged from a £7 million offer to mobile phone giant O2 for a project to set up its customer contact centre in Glasgow to a £20,000 grant to Video3 Technologies in Coatbridge.
"The range of businesses supported shows that RSA can prove crucial in helping home-grown companies to start up and grow as well as attracting major international companies to locate and invest in Scotland. This, combined with our outstanding workforce and competitive business environment, makes Scotland a highly attractive place in which to locate and invest.
"As has been well publicised, the regional aid map coverage and aid limits for grant incentives will both reduce from the end of this year. I would encourage other companies looking to invest and expand to apply for support in order to be eligible under current rules."
RSA is the main national scheme of financial assistance to industry. It provides discretionary grants for investment projects that will create or safeguard jobs in Assisted Areas - areas designated for regional aid under European community law. The scheme is administered by the RSA Scotland unit of the Executive.
In the 2004/05 Annual Report, RSA grant accepted was £69.8 million, with 163 offers expected to lead to the capital expenditure of £241.5 million and create or safeguard 10,068 jobs.