“GOVERNMENT IS FAILING REGIONS YOUNG” SAYS LABOUR
Written by author on February 19, 2015
Dumfriesshire MSP Elaine Murray and Dumfries & Galloway MP Russell Brown have accused the Scottish and UK Government of failing the region’s young people after the latest jobs figures revealed that unemployment, in particular amongst young people, has increased in the region.
The figures from the Office of National Statistics show the Jobseekers Allowance (JSA) claimant count for young people aged 18-24 increased from 395 (3.6%) in December 2014 to 440 (4%) in January 2015. This is higher that the Scottish average of 3.7% and significantly higher than the UK average of 3.1%. Overall, the JSA claimant count in the region rose by 160 in the last month from 1,689 (1.9%) in December 2014 to 1,849 (2.0%) in January 2015.
Dumfriesshire MSP Elaine Murray said, “While these figures are extremely worrying, they were sadly expected. What they do tell us is that many jumped at the chance of work over the seasonal period. Unfortunately, despite their willingness to work, most of the jobs were only temporary and once again many have found themselves out of work. The Scottish and UK Governments are failing to recognise the need to invest in decent, permanent fulltime job opportunities in our region.”
Dumfries and Galloway MP Russell Brown added, “The Scottish and UK Government are failing to deliver solutions to tackle unemployment in Dumfries & Galloway, in particular for young people. It’s an absolute disgrace that we continue to see higher than average youth unemployment levels in this region, and yet both the SNP and Tories are nowhere to be seen when it comes to finding solutions.”
