Brown: Unemployment fall in Scotland welcome but we can do more to create new jobs

In the three months to the end of April 2011, the number of people who were not in work in Scotland fell by 10,000 to 207,000.

The unemployment rate is 7.7% - the same as across the rest of the UK.

Gavin Brown MSP, Scottish Conservative Economy Spokesperson, said:

"A fall in unemployment will rightly be welcomed but the rate is still far too high and politicians at all levels need to do all we can to help create new jobs.

"That's why at the last budget Scottish Conservatives secured help for businesses to take on new staff and we also delivered a £16m boost for housing – these two measures alone will create over 10,000 jobs and help grow our economy.

"Just last week, the Global Entrepreneurship Monitor showed that fewer people are likely to start new businesses in Scotland than elsewhere in the UK. It is time to focus on helping entrepreneurs build new businesses, and on supporting existing small businesses.

"That is why Scottish Conservatives are stepping up calls for a Scottish Business Start Up Fund to support individuals access enterprise education, vocational training, and to provide grants and loans to assist in the creation of new businesses. We want to make it compulsory to offer enterprise training at all colleges and universities, in partnership with local businesses.

"Scotland must put its faith in our entrepreneurs so we nurture new businesses, design new products and create new jobs."

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