£6.6m from EU 'could create 7,000 jobs'

MORE than £6.6 million from the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) is to be shared by seven projects to help Scots set up their own businesses.

Up to 7,000 jobs could be created through the schemes, the Scottish Government claimed.

Liz Cameron, chief executive of the Scottish Chambers of Commerce (SCC), praised the latest round of cash awards from the ERDF as "fantastic news for businesses all over Scotland".

A training scheme in West Lothian that aims to help young people interested in starting their own business will receive almost 1.8m while a Lanarkshire initiative, advising firms on issues such as access to finance, is to get more than 950,000.

The SCC will receive more than 770,000 for a business mentoring project, which aims to create 4,000 jobs.

A grant of about 740,000 will allow the Prince's Scottish Youth Business Trust to provide financial support to more than 1,000 enterprises.

Two Glasgow City Council projects and a Renfrewshire Council scheme will share the remainder of the cash.