This item was published during the term of a previous administration that ended in April 2007
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Regional Selective Assistance report
30/09/2003
Regional Selective Assistance (RSA) continues to play an integral part in business growth and improving the Scottish economy, according to Deputy Enterprise Minister Lewis Macdonald.
The Minister was launching the first RSA annual report during a visit to Aggreko plc in Dennistoun, Glasgow.
An RSA grant of £900,000 has secured for Glasgow a global information technology centre to support the current and future operations of the whole Aggreko group. The project is planned to create and safeguard over 50 jobs, of which 20 are already in place, with the company now actively recruiting for another ten.
Mr Macdonald said:
"Growing the economy is the Executive's top priority. Against that background, I am delighted to announce the publication of our first annual report on Regional Selective Assistance in Scotland.
"RSA encourages business expansion and investment to create and secure employment in the Assisted Areas of Scotland. In the past year, accepted offers of RSA totalled £60 million and these projects represent £286 million in planned capital investment linked to 7,700 planned new and safeguarded jobs.
"RSA is firmly focused on nurturing our home-grown businesses as well as attracting inward investment.
"With the help of RSA, the Aggreko Technology Centre was won for Scotland in the face of strong competition from other locations.
"This project illustrates the type of high quality investment we wish for Scotland and demonstrates how the right support - allied to commitment, vision and innovation from companies themselves - can really deliver results.
"This report published today is indicative of the improvements that we have made in the communication and delivery of the RSA scheme. These have included new measures such as a dedicated website and the streamlining of decision making for grant applications up to £250,000.
"I am determined to maximise the contribution RSA can make to improving the Scottish economy."
Regional Selective Assistance (RSA) is the main national scheme of financial assistance to industry, helping to create and safeguard jobs and encourage investment in the Assisted Areas of Scotland.
Changes to the way RSA was delivered in Scotland were introduced in 2002/03 following an external review of the scheme in 2001/2002. These were intended to ensure the operation of RSA fitted with the 'Smart, Successful Scotland' economic strategy. It included moves to give RSA more focus on growing Scottish firms and on supporting quality jobs, and new targets for speeding up grant decisions.
Aggreko plc is one of the case studies to feature in the RSA Annual Report. The Glasgow based firm is a world leader in the supply of temporary power, temperature control and oil free compressed air, with operations in some 50 countries across the globe. Its corporate headquarters are in Glasgow, with the UK headquarters and manufacturing plant in Dumbarton.