Businesses across Scotland will save over a million pounds following moves by the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) to waive or restrict some of the fees they charge.

The environmental regulator will waive application fees for environmental permits, a move which will save over 2,000 businesses as much as £600,000 in total.

Environment Secretary Richard Lochhead said: "The Scottish Government has pledged to do all it can to help hard-pressed businesses and individuals during these tough economic times. Our Scottish Recovery Plan is designed to ensure all public sector activity supports economic development.

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"The waiver of application fees by SEPA for the remainder of 2008/09 shows our public bodies are willing to do what they can to ensure our economy is well-positioned for recovery.

The waiver is part of a package of SEPA measures to support businesses. Other measures include restricting next year's fee increases to well below the retail price index, which will save over 10,000 businesses - including 3,000 in farming, 900 in manufacturing, 800 in retail and 100 in construction – around £600,000.

"SEPA will also be investing £250,000 into local environmental clean-ups. Working with communities to improve and transform local landscapes can help make areas more attractive for business investment," he said.

SEPA Chairman David Sigsworth added: "As Scotland's environment watchdog we in SEPA want to protect the environment and enable business and industry to realise the many economic benefits of good environmental practice. This is particularly important during these difficult times for the economy. We hope our plans will make a positive contribution to the Scottish Government's economic recovery plan."

(GK)