Scottish unemployment falls below UK average

Unemployment in Scotland fell by 29,000 during the period between May to July and now stands at 130,000, according to new data released today.

The Office for National Statistics has today released data showing that the Scottish unemployment rate is 4.7 per cent, which has fallen below the rate of 4.9 per cent for the whole of the UK.

The employment level rose 51,000 over the quarter to 2,631,000 - the largest quarterly rise on record.

The Scottish employment rate increased over the quarter to 74.1 per cent.

The rate is marginally below the UK average of 74.5 per cent.

The Secretary of State for Scotland, David Mundell, said: “Today’s figures are welcome news. They show a near record high of over 2.6 million people in work, with Scotland’s employment having risen by over 51,000 between May and July.

“Unemployment is down to its lowest level since 2008, bringing the Scottish rate down to 4.7 per cent, lower than the UK rate of 4.9 per cent.

“These improvements put Scotland, and the whole of the UK, on a strong footing as we approach the ‎negotiations to exit the European Union. But there is no room for complacency – we must make sure that we continue to work with the Scottish Government and other partners to continue to boost Scotland’s economy and prosperity.”

Also commenting on the statistics while visiting Standard Life to meet apprentices, Scotland’s Secretary for the Economy, Jobs and Fair Work Keith Brown, said: “As the First Minister stated when launching the Programme for Government earlier this month, the Scottish Government is determined to build an economy where everyone has a fair chance to contribute and share in the benefits of economic growth. These encouraging figures continue to show that the fundamentals of the Scottish economy are strong, with a 51,000 rise in the employment level and a drop of just over 1 percentage point in the unemployment rate over the quarter, taking it below that of the UK average.

“While these figures are welcome the Scottish Government is absolutely committed to taking further action. Our Labour Market Strategy shows that there is still more that we can and will do. As businesses continue to face the ongoing uncertainty created by the UK-wide vote to leave the EU, our planned £500 million Scottish Growth Fund is designed to support them, the workforce and the economy to grow. The fund will enable small and medium-sized firms to access investment that would otherwise remain out of reach.

“In addition, £100 million will be injected into our capital spending plans this year, providing a significant boost to the £6 billion worth of projects already under construction, and supporting activity and jobs in key sectors of the Scottish economy.

“However, there is no doubt that Brexit poses a real and direct risk to continued economic recovery in Scotland. These labour market figures continue to show the utmost importance of Scotland and the UK as a whole retaining membership of the European single market, which will enable us to build on this encouraging progress, and ensure that everyone in Scotland benefits from economic growth.

“The statistics also continue to show that Scotland is outperforming the rest of the UK in terms of youth employment and I am very pleased that the female employment rate has risen over the quarter, a testament to our work to ensure women have the same equality of opportunities in the labour market as their male counterparts.”

The number of people claiming Job Seeker’s Allowance (JSA), decreased by 500 from July to 53,500 in August 2016. The level is down by 17,000 on August 2015. The claimant count level (JSA and Universal Credit) is up 600 over the month at 77,300 and the rate was unchanged over the month to 2.8 per cent, which is unchanged over the year.