Bartholomew Sholto
By email: / Invest Northern Ireland
Bedford Square
Bedford Street
Belfast
BT2 7ES
Telephone: 028 9069 8867
Email:
Our Ref: / FOI 826
Date: / 13th April 2015

Dear Mr Sholto

Freedom of Information Act 2000

I can confirm that Invest NI has now completed its search for the information which you requested on 13th March 2015 relating to Grants to the Almac Group.

I can confirm that Invest NI holds information that falls within the description specified in your request. However, I have estimated that it will cost more than the appropriate limit to consider your request in full.

The Fees Regulations associated with the above legislation remove the obligation from public authorities to respond to requests for information should the cost of doing so exceed the appropriate limit.

This limit is in respect ofcosts an Authority reasonably expects to incur in determining whether it holds the information requested, locating the information (or documents containing the information), retrieving such information or documents and extracting the required information from said documents. We may take into account the costs attributable to the time that staff are expected to spend on these activities at the rate of £25/hour up to a limit of £450.

In this instance we have established that, as historic information is held in physical files, that we are unable to provide a full response to point 2 of your request within the appropriate limit. However, in order to facilitate your request, this response answers points 1, 3 & 4 of your request in full, and provides a partial response to point 2.

The information provided covers the period from 1st April 2002, when Invest NI was established, to 28th February 2015. To provide a partial response to point 2 of your request, I have searched the information Invest NI holds electronically on the terms and conditions applied to grants awarded to the Almac Group.

A copy of the information which can be disclosed is provided. For clarity I attach a schedule of the information being released at Annex 2 to this letter. I wish to advise you that some of the information cannot be disclosed for the reasons given in Annexes 5 & 6 attached to this letter. These are also detailed in Annex 2.

For clarity, in reference to the questions as numbered in your email and paraphrased below:

1.  Provide full details of all grants given to Almac group from 1 January 2001 to 28 February 2015. If possible give the grant data by year and also give an overall cumulative total to 28 February 2015. – Annex 1

2.  Provide details of the terms and conditions for each grant awarded to Almac Group between 1 January 2001 to 28 February 2015. – Annex 2

3.  In relation to terms and conditions for grants to Almac Group, does Invest NI actually audit Almac Group to verify the actual number of new jobs created. In other words does Invest NI verify that the numbers of staff actually recruited by the company, match those reported in press reports?. This could involve an external auditor? – Annex 3

4.  Almac Group in 2013 made a pre-tax profit of £19.2m, based on a turnover of £325m. Please kindly justify the rationale for providing any grants to Almac Group – Annex 4

You have the right to request a formal review by Invest NI within two calendar months of the date of this letter and if you wish to do so, please write to Danny Smyth, Information Governance Manager, Invest Northern Ireland, Bedford Square, Bedford Street, Belfast. BT2 7ES or email ‘’.

If after such an internal review you are still unhappy with the response, you have the right to appeal to the Information Commissioner’s Office, Wycliffe House, Water Lane, Wilmslow, Cheshire, SK9 5AF, who will undertake an independent review.

If you wish to discuss any of the above, please contact me. Please remember to quote the reference number above in any future communications.

Yours sincerely


Brendan McGuigan

Client Manager

Life Sciences

Direct T: +44 (0) 28 9069 8867

Annex 1 – Grants to Almac Group since 1st April 2002

Year / Client Name / Case Type / Total Assistance (£)
2002-03 / Almac Sciences Limited / SFA 250k or more / 3,420,117
2002-03 / Almac Group Limited / Centers of Excellence / 1,038,500
2002-03 / Almac Diagnostics Limited / Business Improvement Grant / 4,692
2002-03 / Almac Diagnostics Limited / Business Improvement Grant / 4,692
2003-04 / Almac Clinical Services Limited / E Process Financial Support / 2,118
2003-04 / Almac Group Limited / RTD Networking / 2,792
2003-04 / Almac Group Limited / RTD Networking / 3,180
2003-04 / Almac Diagnostics Limited / START / 1,525,000
2003-04 / Almac Clinical Services Limited / BITP / 126,065
2004-05 / Almac Diagnostics Limited / SFA 250k or more / 951,000
2004-05 / Almac Sciences Limited / SFA 250k or more / 6,919,000
2004-05 / Almac Diagnostics Limited / START / 1,777,000
2004-05 / Almac Sciences Limited / BITP / 34,750
2004-05 / Almac Group Limited / BITP / 26,750
2004-05 / Almac Pharma Services Limited / Process Excellence Programme / 3,500
2005-06 / Almac Diagnostics Limited / SFA less than 250k / 40,000
2005-06 / Almac Pharma Services Limited / SFA 250k or more / 3,463,000
2005-06 / Almac Clinical Services Limited / SFA 250k or more / 2,679,150
2005-06 / Almac Pharma Services Limited / BITP / 151,742
2005-06 / Almac Sciences Limited / BITP / 196,589
2005-06 / Almac Diagnostics Limited / BITP / 103,212
2005-06 / Almac Diagnostics Limited / External BHC / 3,000
2005-06 / Almac Clinical Services Limited / Balanced Scorecard / 800
2005-06 / Almac Sciences Limited / Balanced Scorecard / 1,000
2005-06 / Almac Diagnostics Limited / Balanced Scorecard / 1,000
2005-06 / Almac Pharma Services Limited / Strategy Development Programme / 8,813
2005-06 / Almac Sciences Limited / Belfast Benchmarking Club / 80
2006-07 / Almac Clinical Services Limited / COMPETE / 40,221
2006-07 / Almac Clinical Services Limited / COMPETE / 123,706
2006-07 / Almac Clinical Services Limited / COMPETE / 249,199
2006-07 / Galen Limited / START 257 / 2559760
2006-07 / Almac Clinical Services Limited / BITP / 224,223
2006-07 / Almac Group Limited / Belfast Benchmarking Club / 80
2007-08 / Almac Clinical Technologies Limited / SFA 250k or more / 513,000
2007-08 / Almac Diagnostics Limited / START / 728,085
2007-08 / Almac Clinical Services Limited / External BHC / 5,400
2007-08 / Almac Clinical Services Limited / Business Improvement Agent BIA / 33,000
2008-09 / Almac Pharma Services Limited / PROPERTY Assistance SCHEME / 643,455
2008-09 / Almac Group Limited / Centers of Excellence / 6,108,234
2008-09 / Almac Sciences Limited / External BHC / 4,200
2008-09 / Almac Clinical Technologies Limited / BITP / 147,951
2008-09 / Almac Diagnostics Limited / External BHC / 4,200
2009-10 / Almac Pharma Services Limited / SFA 250k or more / 1,667,745
2009-10 / Almac Clinical Services Limited / SFA 250k or more / 8,550,000
2009-10 / Almac Group Limited / Project Definition / 30,164
2009-10 / Almac Group Limited / Project Definition / 9,071
2009-10 / Almac Group Limited / Project Definition / 33,147
2009-10 / Almac Group Limited / Project Definition / 31,679
2009-10 / Almac Diagnostics Limited / Grant For Research And Development / 632,720
2009-10 / Almac Sciences Limited / Business Improvement Agent BIA / 40,000
2009-10 / Almac Sciences Limited / BITP / 227,114
2009-10 / Almac Clinical Services Limited / BITP / 312,032
2009-10 / Almac Pharma Services Limited / BITP / 109,367
2009-10 / Almac Sciences Limited / OMIS / 978
2009-10 / Almac Group Limited / OMIS / 490
2009-10 / Almac Discovery Limited / OMIS / 500
2009-10 / Almac Group Limited / Market Visits / 4,952
2010-11 / Almac Sciences Limited / SFA 250k or more / 750,000
2010-11 / Almac Diagnostics Limited / Grant For Research And Development / 2,750,000
2010-11 / Almac Sciences Limited / Grant For Research And Development / 837,126
2010-11 / Almac Group Limited / Grant For Research And Development / 500,000
2010-11 / Almac Diagnostics Limited / BITP / 107,023
2010-11 / Almac Discovery Limited / BITP / 55,711
2010-11 / Almac Clinical Services Limited / OMIS / 489
2010-11 / Almac Discovery Limited / Trade Event (De Minimis) / 1,450
2010-11 / Almac Group Limited / Trade Event (De Minimis) / 1,450
2010-11 / Almac Sciences Limited / IMS - Trade Advisory Service / 3,000
2011-12 / Almac Discovery Limited / Grant For Research And Development / 4,325,734
2012-13 / Almac Group Limited / Resource Efficiency Capital Grant / 3,045
2012-13 / Almac Pharma Services Limited / SFA 250k or more / 2,050,000
2012-13 / Almac Diagnostics Limited / Grant For Research And Development / 1,078,550
2012-13 / Almac Discovery Limited / Grant For Research And Development / 1,110,340
2012-13 / Almac Group Limited / Implementation Framework / 1,096
2012-13 / Almac Discovery Limited / Export Focus / 827
2012-13 / Almac Discovery Limited / Trade Event (De Minimis) / 850
2012-13 / Almac Group Limited / Trade Event (De Minimis) / 850
2013-14 / Almac Discovery Limited / Grant For Research And Development / 1,507,564
2013-14 / Almac Group Limited / Trade Event (De Minimis) / 875
2014-15 / Almac Clinical Services Limited / SFA 250k or more / 3,018,000
2014-15 / Almac Pharma Services Limited / SFA 250k or more / 2,537,000
Total Assistance / 66,163,194

Annex 2 –Copies of Letters of Offer to Almac Group

Record Number / Record Date / Record Title / Record Description / Exemption claimed for
Complete Record / Partial Record
1 / 21/07/2006 / Almac Clinical Services Limited / SFA 205k or more Financial Assistance Agreement / Section 40 & 43
2 / 07/04/2009 / Almac Pharma Services Limited / SFA 205k or more Letter of Offer / Section 40 & 43
3 / 06/11/2009 / Almac Clinical Services Limited / SFA 205k or more Letter of Offer / Section 40 & 43
4 / 11/03/2011 / Almac Sciences Limited / SFA 205k or more Letter of Offer / Section 40 & 43
5 / 07/01/2013 / Almac Group Limited / Resource Efficiency Capital Grant Letter of Offer / Section 40 & 43
6 / 28/03/2013 / Almac Pharma Services Limited / SFA 250k or more Letter of Offer / Section 40 & 43
7 / 26/06/2014 / Almac Clinical Services Limited / SFA 250k or more Letter of Offer / Section 40 & 43
8 / 26/06/2014 / Almac Pharma Services Limited / SFA 250k or more Letter of Offer / Section 40 & 43
9 / 24/03/2009 / Almac Pharma Services Limited / Property Assistance Scheme Letter of Offer / Section 40 & 43
10 / 31/03/2008 / Almac Clinical Services Limited / SFA 250k or more Letter of Offer / Section 40 & 43
11 / 16/09/2009 / Almac Group Limited / Project Definition Letter of Offer / Section 40 & 43
12 / 22/09/2009 / Almac Group Limited / Project Definition Letter of Offer / Section 40 & 43
13 / 19/10/2010 / Almac Diagnostics Limited / Grant for Research & Development Letter of Offer / Section 40 & 43
14 / 29/04/2013 / Almac Discovery Limited / Grant for Research & Development Letter of Offer / Section 40 & 43
15 / 29/03/2013 / Almac Discovery Limited / Grant for Research & Development Letter of Offer / Section 40 & 43
16 / 29/03/2013 / Almac Diagnostics Limited / Grant for Research & Development Letter of Offer / Section 40 & 43
17 / 20/04/2011 / Almac Discovery Limited / Grant for Research & Development Letter of Offer / Section 40 & 43
18 / 19/05/2011 / Almac Group Limited / Grant for Research & Development Letter of Offer / Section 40 & 43
19 / 08/10/2010 / Almac Sciences Limited / Grant for Research & Development Letter of Offer / Section 40 & 43
20 / 16/09/2009 / Almac Group Limited / Project Definition Letter of Offer / Section 40 & 43
21 / 15/09/2009 / Almac Group Limited / Project Definition Letter of Offer / Section 40 & 43
22 / 27/08/2008 / Almac Discovery Limited / Centres of Excellence Letter of Offer / Section 40 & 43
23 / 27/06/2008 / Almac Diagnostics Limited / START 263 Letter of Offer / Section 40 & 43
24 / 15/06/2006 / Almac Clinical Services Limited / Compete 4/II Letter of Offer / Section 40 & 43
25 / 15/06/2006 / Almac Clinical Services Limited / Almac Clinical Services Limited / Section 40 & 43
26 / 15/06/2006 / Almac Clinical Services Limited / Compete 2/II Letter of Offer / Section 40 & 43
27 / 08/08/2006 / Galen Limited / START 257 Letter of Offer / Section 40 & 43
28 / 28/05/2009 / Almac Sciences Limited / Business Improvement Agent Letter of Offer / Section 40 & 43
29 / 18/06/2007 / Almac Clinical Services Limited / Business Improvement Agent Letter of Offer / Section 40 & 43
30 / 17/01/2005 / Almac Diagnostics Limited / BITP Letter of Offer / Section 40 & 43
31 / 11/05/2010 / Almac Diagnostics Limited / BITP Letter of Offer / Section 40 & 43
32 / 21/07/2009 / Almac Clinical Services Limited / BITP Letter of Offer / Section 40 & 43
33 / 31/10/2008 / Almac Clinical Technologies Limited / BITP Letter of Offer / Section 40 & 43
34 / 06/09/2006 / Almac Clinical Services Limited / BITP Letter of Offer / Section 40 & 43
35 / 28/04/2010 / Almac Discovery Limited / BITP Letter of Offer / Section 40 & 43
36 / 20/04/2006 / Almac Sciences Limited / BITP Letter of Offer / Section 40 & 43
37 / 02/11/2009 / Almac Pharma Services Limited / BITP Letter of Offer / Section 40 & 43

Annex 3 – Audit of jobs created.