This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It will not be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/1/hi/scotland/8571898.stm
The article has changed 4 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| Unemployment total jumps 16,000 | Unemployment total jumps 16,000 |
| (40 minutes later) | |
| Unemployment in Scotland has risen by 16,000 in the three months to January, the latest figures have shown. | Unemployment in Scotland has risen by 16,000 in the three months to January, the latest figures have shown. |
| The number of unemployed people now stands at 205,000 - some 67,000 more than in the same period last year. | The number of unemployed people now stands at 205,000 - some 67,000 more than in the same period last year. |
| However, the Scottish unemployment rate now stands at 7.6%, slightly lower than the UK rate of 7.8%. | However, the Scottish unemployment rate now stands at 7.6%, slightly lower than the UK rate of 7.8%. |
| The narrower "claimant count" measure - the number of adults claiming Jobseeker's Allowance - stood at 138,500 in February. | The narrower "claimant count" measure - the number of adults claiming Jobseeker's Allowance - stood at 138,500 in February. |
| That represented a drop of 600 since January, but an increase of 25,100 on February 2009. | That represented a drop of 600 since January, but an increase of 25,100 on February 2009. |
| Enterprise Minister Jim Mather said the figures suggested that there were "fragile signs of recovery" across Scotland. | Enterprise Minister Jim Mather said the figures suggested that there were "fragile signs of recovery" across Scotland. |
| This underlines the need for the private sector to be supported as it seeks to create new jobs in Scotland Liz CameronScottish Chambers of Commerce | |
| They also underlined the "vital importance" of the Scottish government's economic recovery plan, he added. | They also underlined the "vital importance" of the Scottish government's economic recovery plan, he added. |
| Mr Mather said: "A crucial part of that plan is a range of measures to support employment, and it is excellent news that this morning the first minister has announced the Scottish government has reached its target to deliver more than 18,500 modern apprenticeships. | Mr Mather said: "A crucial part of that plan is a range of measures to support employment, and it is excellent news that this morning the first minister has announced the Scottish government has reached its target to deliver more than 18,500 modern apprenticeships. |
| "We are absolutely committed to continuing this good work and delivering investment to reinvigorate the economy and help people get back to work. | "We are absolutely committed to continuing this good work and delivering investment to reinvigorate the economy and help people get back to work. |
| "That is why our budget invests in economic recovery and protects frontline services, despite Westminster imposing the first cut in the resources available to the Scottish government since devolution." | "That is why our budget invests in economic recovery and protects frontline services, despite Westminster imposing the first cut in the resources available to the Scottish government since devolution." |
| Mr Mather said it was important the UK government continued with a package of stimulus measures in its budget next week in order to help create and sustain jobs and support the economic recovery. | |
| Secretary of State for Scotland Jim Murphy said: "This is the first fall in the claimant count for nearly two years, but these figures show again that the economic recovery is very fragile and that the recession has taken its toll on many families in Scotland. | Secretary of State for Scotland Jim Murphy said: "This is the first fall in the claimant count for nearly two years, but these figures show again that the economic recovery is very fragile and that the recession has taken its toll on many families in Scotland. |
| "More widely it is worrying that some trends are higher in Scotland than the rest of the UK." | "More widely it is worrying that some trends are higher in Scotland than the rest of the UK." |
| 'Great opportunity' | |
| Liz Cameron, chief executive of Scottish Chambers of Commerce, said it was worrying that Scotland was seeing consistent rises in unemployment while the rest of the UK experienced a sustained fall. | |
| "Although our overall rate of unemployment remains slightly below the UK average, the gap is narrowing and the worry is that, with a large public sector workforce and spending cuts on the way, Scotland may continue to suffer further rises in unemployment for some time to come," she said. | |
| "This underlines the need for the private sector to be supported as it seeks to create new jobs in Scotland. | |
| "With the chancellor's budget just a fortnight away, that would be a great opportunity for him to send a positive message to Scotland's business community and abandon plans to impose a further tax on jobs through raising the rates of national insurance contributions next year." |