Alex Salmond unveils £60m jobs package

ALEX Salmond yesterday announced a £60 million package supporting more than 3,000 Scottish jobs when he spoke at the SNP conference.

Salmond said the emphasis would be on creating work for young people. Picture: Jane Barlow

The cash would be allocated to 43 economic development projects across the country.

The First Minister said £20m of European regional development funding would support total investment of £60m in projects to be run by businesses, local government and the third sector.

According to the First Minister, the funding will help start more than 700 businesses, support a further 5,000 businesses to grow and create jobs. Salmond said the emphasis would be on creating work for young people.

He argued that his government’s use of European funding was a crucial difference between his approach and Westminster. “We have a youth guarantee in Scotland that any youngster between 16 and 19 without a job, education or training gets the offer of help within four months. It is quick intervention and it is effective,” Salmond said.

“There is a European proposal to extend this. Westminster opposes it, not because it is not a good idea but basically because it is European.

“We need the freedom to respond to European initiatives in the best way for Scotland, not to have a proposal on training for youngsters distorted through a Eurosceptic lens.”

He added: “The fact that it comes from a European initiative is something which will not concern the young people who are benefiting.”