Scottish Secretary responds to February Labour Market Statistics

Scottish Secretary Alister Jack said:

The UK Government’s Plan for Jobs is working, with the number of Scots on the payroll remaining higher than before the pandemic, and unemployment rates stable. That is good news.

While we must keep a close eye on the jobs market, our economy is proving resilient, thanks to the unprecedented package of measures we put in place at the start of the pandemic.

We will continue to support people in Scotland to get jobs and to progress in work. This is a key part of our Levelling Up agenda, which will create opportunities and improve the lives of people in all parts of the UK.

Background

Between December and January 2022, the number of employees on the payroll continued to increase right across the UK. Scotland’s unemployment rate remained at 4.1 per cent between October and December last year. The employment rate in Scotland over the same period was 0.6 p.p. lower than the previous quarter.