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Article: Executive pays GBP 36m to firms 'with little future in Scotland'
- Article from:
- The Scotsman
- Article date:
- February 13, 2007
- Author:
CopyrightCopyright 2007 The Scotsman. Provided by ProQuest LLC. (Hide copyright information)
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MORE than GBP 36 million of taxpayers' money has been spent
subsidising call-centre firms to create jobs that risk being lost to
cheaper countries, an investigation by The Scotsman has revealed.
An analysis of regional selective assistance (RSA) grants handed
out by the Scottish Executive since 2002 also found that at least GBP
6 million had been used to attract other low-skill posts north of the
Border.
Critics last night accused ministers of attempting to "buy votes"
after it emerged that about a sixth of the scheme's overall grants
were used to lure staff into call centres and backroom office roles.
They said more investment should focus on high-skill posts in
research and development - ...