Scottish unemployment falls by 26,000

Labour Market Statistics for April to June 2016 shows that Scotland has the second highest employment rate out of the four UK nations, with 65,000 more people in employment compared to the pre-recession high.

The ILO unemployment rate north of the border fell by 1.0 percentage points over the quarter with the unemployment level falling by 26,000.

Scotland also continues to outperform the rest of the UK on female and youth employment and unemployment rates.

Across the UK, the jobless total fell by 52,000 to 1.64 million, and the unemployment rate remained at 4.9 per cent, the Office for National Statistics (ONS) said.

The number of people on the claimant count in July, the first month since the UK’s vote to leave the EU, was 763,600, down 8,600 from June.

Wages excluding bonuses rose 2.3 per cent in the three months to June, the ONS said.

Including bonuses, earnings growth was 2.4 per cent.

Jamie Hepburn, Minister for Employability and Training said: “There is much to be welcomed from these figures, including 65,000 more people being employed now than at the pre-recession high. However, we know that there is more that we can and must do. The Scottish economy has strong fundamentals, but as businesses face uncertainty during negotiations over our future relationship with the EU, we will ensure we work hard to protect Scotland’s relationship with the EU, and strive to make the most of current and future opportunities in our economy.

Liz Cameron, chief executive of Scottish Chambers of Commerce, said: “This latest fall in unemployment and rise in employment spell good news for the Scottish economy. Our research amongst businesses suggests that they are continuing to invest in their staff even at a time when their overall levels of investment have slowed down.

“Clearly, these unemployment figures relate to a period prior to the EU referendum vote, and the outlook and pressures on businesses have changed since then. If businesses are to maintain the confidence to invest and recruit, then it is vital that the Scottish and UK Governments continue to use every power at their disposal to support businesses at this crucial time.”