RSA Priority Initiative

HC Deb 16 December 1998 vol 322 c512W

Mrs. Fyfe

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list the companies which to date have been offered additional grant if they employ residents of assisted areas under the RSA Priority Initiative launched on 22 May. [63908]

Mr. Dewar

Under the pilot "RSA Priority" initiative, launched on 22 May 1998 in five particularly deprived areas of Scotland, nine companies have to date been offered the opportunity to receive additional grant if they employ residents of the designated areas. Information regarding offers of Regional Selective Assistance to individual companies is generally regarded as commercially confidential, although details of offers of £75,000 or more are published in "Labour Market Trends" once the company has received its first payment.