Commenting on the release of official ONS data which shows that Scottish unemployment rose by 6,000 (0.2%) in the three months to January 2015, Liz Cameron, Chief Executive of Scottish Chambers of Commerce, said:
“Any increase in unemployment is disappointing and serves as a reminder of the challenges that continue to affect the Scottish economy. These figures cover a period when the effects of the low oil prices were beginning to bite in our oil and gas sector. That said, we should remember that employment has also increased by 6,000 over the same period and the reason for these apparently contradictory changes has been that Scotland’s pool of available workers has grown overall.
“This points to a relatively healthy economy where many businesses are continuing to expand and create new job opportunities, and this reflects the feedback we are getting from businesses that we speak to across Scotland. There remain ongoing issues in the shape of oil prices and the relative economic performance of our key export markets in Europe and further afield, all of which means that our Governments in Scotland and the UK need to maintain a clear focus on helping firms to reduce the costs of doing business, and removing the barriers to growth and job creation. Fundamentally reforming our nation’s Career Services so that they better serve the demands of business, and implementing a Modern Apprenticeship Incentive Package to encourage small businesses to employ apprentices are examples of how this can be achieved.
“This will be a recurring theme for us as we enter two elections at a UK and Scottish level over the next year.”
