11% increase in start-ups

SCOTLAND saw an 11 per cent increase in the number of new businesses started in 2007, new figures published today revealed.

Corporate services firm Oswalds said 21,256 new companies were formed in Scotland over the last year, almost 2500 more than in 2006.

"New enterprises were formed in Scotland at a rate equivalent to nearly 1800 a month in 2007," said Oswalds director Andrew Cockburn. "This suggests an underlying confidence in Scotland's economy and a refusal to be put off by the increasingly gloomy economic forecasts."

Glasgow headed the enterprise creation league with 5703 start-ups with Edinburgh in second place with 4236. However, Falkirk was the location with the highest percentage of new businesses, rising 23 per cent.