Throughout the economic downturn the Scottish Government has been firmly focused on doing the maximum possible to boost employment, including opportunities for young people.

For three consecutive months now we have seen falling unemployment and rising employment in Scotland compared to rising unemployment and falling employment across the UK. Scotland’s total employment rate is at its highest level since the three months to December 2009 – and Scotland is the only UK nation with rising employment and falling unemployment over the quarter.

This is encouraging but we want to do more. Our Economic Recovery Plan, updated this week, includes robust action to support jobs, skills and training – prioritised in our Budget – in the face of the biggest reduction in public spending imposed on Scotland by any UK Government.

It includes a further £10 million investment to support 5,000 new jobs in small and medium sized companies, £16 million of new housing investment to safeguard some 5,200 jobs and the new £10 million Community Jobs Scotland fund, that will see the Scottish Government work with the third sector to provide 2,000 work and training opportunities for young people across Scotland. Our Budget for next year also supports 25,000 modern apprenticeships – the highest ever number in Scotland.

We have also targeted business support schemes like Regional Selective Assistance to stimulate new employment opportunities – for example the recent announcement of 150 new Scottish jobs at Outplay Entertainment in Dundee, and an additional 200 jobs at the John Lewis Partnership’s new customer contact centre in Hamilton. In January alone, the Scottish Government and its agencies announced they will support the creation and safeguarding of at least 3,635 full time jobs.

All of this is positive and clearly a step in the right direction, but we are under no illusions that Scotland’s recovery remains at a crucial stage. We must continue to bring unemployment down. The UK Government’s massive cuts underline the urgent need for Scotland to secure full economic and financial powers so that the Scottish Government and Parliament have all the tools needed to sustain growth and further boost employment for young people.

Jim Mather, Minister for Enterprise, Energy and Tourism