Information communicated by Member States regarding State aid granted under Commission Regulation (EC) No 68/2001 of 12 January 2001 on the application of Articles 87 and 88 of the EC Treaty to training aid

(2003/C 299/07)

(Text with EEA relevance)

Aid No: XT 28/03

Member State: United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland

Region: Scotland

Title of aid scheme or name of the company receiving an individual aid: Expansion of Young Large Goods Vehicle (LGV) Driver Scheme

Legal basis: The Further and Higher Education (Scotland) Act 1992

Annual expenditure planned under the scheme or overall amount of individual aid granted to the company: The budget allocation is:

2003/2004: GBP 1 million

2004/2005: GBP 1 million

2005/2006: GBP 1 million

Maximum aid intensity: The maximum aid intensity of general training costs will not normally exceed 50 % for large firms and 70 % for SMEs. An additional 5 % will be given to enterprises in the EU 87(3)(c) assisted areas

Date of implementation: 1 April 2003

Duration of scheme or individual aid award: Until 31 March 2006

Objective of aid: The Young LGV Driver Scheme aims to address a recognised market failure by providing a structured training and development programme for young people under the age of 21 embarking on a driving career in road transport and distribution. Trainees follow a structured programme of training leading to the level 2 Scottish Vocational Qualification (SVQ) or National Vocational Qualification (NVQ) and a Category "C" Driving Licence with an option to go on to obtain a C+E licence.

The road transport and distribution sectors currently have a problem recruiting a sufficient number of LGV drivers, and suffer from a progressively ageing workforce. The funding of the expansion of the Young LGV Driver Scheme is a pump-priming exercise over three years intended to increase the numbers of young drivers recruited and trained under the existing scheme. A similar scheme is currently in place in England.

The form of training provided under this scheme is general since it provides qualifications - SVQs and NVQs - which are transferable to other employers and substantially improve the employability of the employee. Employees of different enterprises may avail themselves of the training, and the training and qualifications are recognised and certified by the Scottish Qualifications Authority, the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority, the United Kingdom Department for Education and Skills, and the United Kingdom Department for Transport

Economic sector(s) concerned: Transport Services (the scheme is open to any lorry operator)

Name and address of the granting authority: Scottish Executive Development Department

Contact: David Eaglesham Scottish Executive Development Department Freight and Inland Waterways Branch Victoria Quay Edinburgh EH6 6QQ United Kingdom E-mail: david.eaglesham@scotland.gsi.gov.uk Tel. (44-131) 244 08 68 Fax (44-131) 244 08 71