Question reference: S5W-34558
- Asked by: Alexander Stewart, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
- Date lodged: 13 January 2021
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Current status: Answered by Kate Forbes on 26 January 2021
Question
To ask the Scottish Government, for what reason the DigitalBoost Development Grant website reported on its launch day on 12 January 2021 that "applications are in excess of the available budget...therefore new applications have been suspended"; by what date it will reopen for new applicants and, in light of the demand for support, whether it will increase the budget for the grants.
Answer
Applications were temporarily suspended due to strong demand which quickly exceeded the allocated budget. I am pleased to confirm that I have now doubled the available budget to £20m and, as a result, eligible businesses who had already started their applications will be able to complete the process. I am actively exploring the feasibility of developing a successor scheme for launch in the new financial year.