Employment continues to increase

16th December 2015

The latest figures show that more people in Scotland are in employment compared to the previous quarter and the same time last year. They also show that the number of people unemployed has fallen over the quarter.

ONS Labour Market Statistics for August to October 2015 show that employment in Scotland stood at 2,615,000, an increase of 3,000 over the quarter and 10,000 over the year. The unemployment level fell by 8,000 over the quarter to reach 156,000.

Scotlands employment rate increased to 74.3 per cent, while the unemployment rate fell to 5.6 per cent over the quarter, down from 5.9 per cent. The level of employment in Scotland is now 71,000 higher in Scotland compared to the same period in 2008.

The overall rate of economic inactivity fell over the both the quarter and the year, meaning that Scotland continues to outperform the UK on employment and inactivity rates.

On the same day that figures released by Skills Development Scotland (SDS) show that in the initial destinations for 2014/15, a record 92.9 per cent of school leavers are going into positive destinations, Scotland's youth employment level has also increased by 20,000 over the year.

This means that youth employment is at its highest August to October level since 2008 with the youth unemployment level also falling to its lowest August to October figure since 2008.

Cabinet Secretary for Fair Work, Skills and Training Roseanna Cunningham marked the publication by visiting Glasgow creative agency MadeBrave. She said:I am very pleased to note this month's figures, which reinforce the positive longer-term trends in Scotland’s labour market, notwithstanding recent and ongoing volatility.

There is rising employment, a fall in unemployment and further excellent news for youth employment. The youth employment figures are particularly welcome as we note an increase in the number of school leavers heading to initial positive destinations, which is now at a record 92.9 per cent.

However, we are not complacent, as we recognise that a number of challenges remain beneath the encouraging headline figures.

While economic growth has been driven in part by infrastructure investment by the Scottish public sector, UK Government plans to implement a damaging fiscal mandate still threaten to derail our growth.

Real terms cuts on Scotland every year imposed by the Chancellor every year from now until 2020 mean than we are facing tough choices ahead of the Scottish Government’s Budget later today.

However, we will continue to channel every power at our disposal into growing the economy, increasing employment, lowering unemployment and removing any barriers to the jobs market which may remain.