John Mason (Glasgow Shettleston) (Scottish National Party): To ask the Scottish Government what the estimated economic impact of the 2014 Commonwealth Games was for (a) Glasgow, (b) the west of Scotland and (c) Scotland during the Games.
(S4W-22751)
Ms Shona Robison MSP: (Minister for Commonwealth Games & Sport): The Scottish Government is committed to maximising the benefits and creating a lasting legacy for the whole of Scotland from Glasgow hosting the 2014 Commonwealth Games. These Games have provided the entire country with an excellent opportunity for regeneration, innovation and sustainable economic growth.
As part of the Games Legacy Evaluation, we are working with Games partners to deliver a robust economic assessment of the Games. This report will be available for Glasgow and Scotland in Spring 2015, however early indications from the pre-Games report, published on 28 April 2014, show that:
• Construction and refurbishment of the venues and Athletes’ Village, over the six years leading to 2014, has contributed (on average) £52 million to Scotland’s GVA, and supported 1,000 jobs each year.
• As of the end of June 2014, Scottish companies had been awarded 484 Games-related contracts, worth £290 million.
• To date, 37 national and international events have been secured using the Games venues, with an estimated economic impact of over £14 million.
By the time of the Opening Ceremony, over 50 national Legacy 2014 programmes and over 80 Supporting Legacy 2014 Projects were already in place, benefitting people, communities and organisations across Scotland, including the West of Scotland. For example, in the West of Scotland, over 100 trainees have taken up employment through the Legacy 2014 Employer Recruitment Incentive programme, and more than 150 young people have received training and volunteering opportunities through the Legacy 2014 Scotland’s Best programme. Additionally, businesses in the West of Scotland were awarded 66 of the contracts associated with the Games.
An XX Commonwealth Games Highlight Report was published on 14 August 2014. We also expect to produce a post-Games report in 2015, an interim legacy report in 2017 and a final legacy report in 2019, detailing the benefit of these Games to Glasgow and the whole of Scotland.
