4,000 job boost for Scotland's economy

Published on Saturday 13 June 2009 20:03

MORE than 4,000 jobs were created or secured last year through overseas efforts to boost Scotland's economy, it was announced yesterday.

Nearly half the total were "high value" jobs with salaries of more than 31,000.

And total investment plans came to more than 500 million.

The figures came in the annual results of Scottish Development International, a joint venture by the Scottish Government, Scottish Enterprise, and Highlands and Islands Enterprise.

Its task is to boost the Scottish economy by encouraging inward investment while helping Scottish companies compete in overseas markets.

The results were announced by First Minister Alex Salmond, who will tomorrow disclose plans for updating Scotland's economic recovery programme.

International firms committed more than 500m to Scotland in pay and capital expenditure, he said.

More than 80 per cent of the jobs secured were from firms already in Scotland.

SDI helped more than 800 Scottish firms explore new markets overseas.

Salmond said: "Almost 50 per cent of the 1,807 high value added jobs attracted to Scotland were classified as research, design and development, concentrated particularly in the life sciences, manufacturing and aerospace sectors.

"These results send a very clear message that we are succeeding in our goal to encourage and support innovation – a key element of our updated economic recovery programme which plans to guide our economy through the recession and ensure Scotland recovers strongly."

Lena Wilson, chief executive of SDI, said: "We are the only part of the UK to measure our success on the number of high value jobs.

"These are the jobs which are likely to have the greatest impact on Scotland's economy."