Speaking following a meeting of National Economic Forum in Edinburgh, which discussed efforts to tackle youth unemployment in Scotland, Scottish Labour leader Johann Lamont, said:

“I am disappointed that Angela Constance chose to highlight what she sees as the limitations of the Scottish Parliament rather focus completely on what she can do with the powers already at her disposal to tackle youth unemployment. This would suggest youth unemployment is not their top priority.

“Given the attendance at this event today, there is a real appetite across all sectors in Scotland to work together to tackle the rise in youth unemployment and we know from past experiences the short and long term damage it can do. The SNP government has an important role in pulling together these efforts and we need to ensure they do more than pay lip service to the issue of youth unemployment and ensure young people are given chances to get on in life.”

Speaking following attending the National Economic Forum, Scottish Labour’s Shadow Minister for Youth Employment, Kezia Dugdale MSP, said:

“Scotland is in the grips of a national youth unemployment crisis and with no less than eight government Ministers in attendance it is clear the SNP government are keen to show they are taking this problem seriously. Unfortunately, warm words don’t create jobs. The SNP must now walk the walk, as their efforts will ultimately be judged by Scotland’s young people on whether it delivers the jobs and opportunities they so desperately need.    

“Our colleges play a key role in skilling-up our young people so they are ready to work. The SNP government must accept that its 20% cuts to Scotland’s colleges are counter intuitive to efforts to tackle youth unemployment.

“Angela Constance has a budget of £30 million to tackle youth unemployment, but it will be wasted if it is spent as pocket money press releases introducing one-off new projects. We need to focus our energies on what works and invest in it.”

1 February 2012