Commenting on the latest disappointing Scottish unemployment figures, Liz Cameron, Chief Executive of Scottish Chambers of Commerce, said:
'The Scottish and UK governments must share responsibility for the continually disappointing unemployment figures that we are seeing in Scotland. Scottish employment has decreased again, and Scotland continues to trail the UK's employment rate by 0.3%.
'We look to the Chancellor of the Exchequer to address business growth and job creation as his top priority in his forthcoming autumn statement. Increasing employment will only come from business growth, so the UK Government must both boost capital investment and incentivise business lending, to enable firms across the UK to create more jobs.
'The Scottish Government must also use the levers it has at its disposal to stimulate business growth. We have been calling on the Scottish government to impose a freeze on business rates for 2013/14, allowing businesses to invest the £163 million this would save in their businesses, creating the demand for jobs that is needed to address the continuing growth in unemployment in Scotland.
'Youth employment rates remain a particular concern. While the Scottish Government's announced national employer recruitment incentive is welcome in principal, they must work with us to ensure that it delivers for businesses and enables them to create the jobs that are its stated aim. However, such incentives are something of a sticking plaster
