Grants were also available in localities
affected by colliery closure and businesses could gain assistance under a number of
European programmes (e.g. the European Union Programme for Shipbuilding –
called RENAVAL).
● Regional Innovation Grants under which the government paid 50 per cent of the costs
of development and introduction of new or improved processes (to a maximum of
£25,000 in 1996). To be eligible a firm had to have no more than 50 employees and
the project had to take place in development, intermediate, Task Force, City Challenge
or European Commission Objective 2 areas or in certain Scottish inner urban areas
eligible for assistanceIn April 2004, Regional Selective Assistance and Regional Enterprise Grants in England