§ Jeff EnnisTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many bids under the enterprise grant scheme have been made by businesses within the former South Yorkshire coalfield area since 1999; and what the value and the details of the grants awarded are. [41481]
§ Alan JohnsonThe Enterprise Grant Scheme (EGS) has been operational since 1 January 2000. It is available to small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) with fewer than 250 employees to support capital investment projects of up to £0.5 million.
The whole of South Yorkshire is covered by the EGS where grant can be awarded of up to 15 per cent. of eligible capital expenditure up to a maximum of £75,000. Since 1 January 2000, 116 EGS applications have been received from South Yorkshire companies resulting in 86 formal offers of grant with a grant value of £2.1 million against estimated capital costs of £18 million. These projects are expected to create or safeguard 530 jobs. Separate statistics are not available for the former South Yorkshire coalfield areas but approximately half of the offers relate to businesses in these areas. Details of the individual grant offers made to companies are commercially confidential.