Latest figures show a drop in the number of unemployed claimants from 6.8% in April 2011 to 6.2% in April this year. In number terms this means that last month there were 3,019 claimants in Shettleston constituency compared with 3,231 at the same time last year. A drop of 212.

John Mason, SNP Member of the Scottish Parliament for Glasgow Shettleston, said:

“While clearly any drop in unemployment is welcome news, it is still hugely disappointing that so many people are wanting to work but cannot find jobs. At least there are some signs that employment prospects are improving at a national level in Scotland.

“Clearly this improvement is not nearly enough – as many people are doing part-time rather than the full-time work they want. Everyone who has any influence over economic development must remain focussed on creating skilled, well paid and full-time employment opportunities in the East End.

“Youth employment is especially important as we simply cannot allow a generation to be without decent job opportunities.

“Scotland now has slightly lower unemployment, higher employment, and lower economic inactivity than the UK as a whole.

“Action taken by the SNP Government – including increased capital expenditure and improved access to finance for medium and small sized businesses – must not be derailed by the Westminster Government who have single handedly managed to put the UK back into recession.

“With the limited powers we have in Scotland, the SNP Government is working hard to get people back into work but, with the powers of independence, we could do so much more. It’s about having access to all the levers of our economy and we simply don’t have that at the moment.”