YOUTH UNEMPLOYMENT ACTION PLAN NEEDED

Responding to today’s unemployment statistics, Scottish Labour’s Shadow Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Sustainable Growth Richard Baker called on the Scottish Government to urgently bring forward a youth unemployment strategy.

Mr Baker said:

"Today’s figures show the scale of the challenge we face in tackling unemployment. They underline the fact that the Scottish economy is still in a fragile state with unemployment still too high, especially youth unemployment.

"With over 200,000 Scots unemployed and those claiming out-of-work benefits rising, the SNP government must redouble its efforts to ensure stimulating growth and creating jobs are top priorities so we see the strong levels of growth we all want to see in future.

"Youth unemployment remains stubbornly high. I urge the SNP government to share in Labour’s vision of a Scotland of no youth unemployment and call on the Finance Secretary to bring forward a strategy to tackle unacceptably high levels of youth unemployment.

"Labour will continue to work constructively with the SNP government on job creation. We believe our plans to introduce a wider future jobs fund and a green jobs initiative can play a positive role in creating jobs and growing our economy."

15 June 2011