More than 1,000 people in Dundee are facing the prospect of a second consecutive Christmas on the dole, a report reveals today.
New research by the Trade Union Congress (TUC) shows the city has experienced one of the swiftest increases in long-term unemployment anywhere in the UK over the last year, and the figures make grim reading throughout Tayside and Fife, with the rate soaring by more than the Scottish average across the region.
As of last month 1,085 Dundonians had been claiming Jobseekers’ allowance for more than 12 months up 82% from 595 in 2010.
The situation means the city has witnessed the sixth quickest rise in long-term unemployment of any local authority in the UK.
The long-term jobless rate, defined as being unemployed for more than 12 months, has rocketed three times more than the Scottish average and six times more than the UK as a whole.
Labour MSP Jenny Marra said: ”Governments in London and Edinburgh can no longer pay lip service to unemployment statistics”We need urgent action. An increase of 82% in long-term unemployed in Dundee over the last year is despicable.”
Ms Marra made a cross-party plea for the creation of a Dundee jobs taskforce to be chaired by a leading business figure.
Meanwhile, Dundee City East MSP Shona Robison admitted the report was ”concerning,” but said it illustrated the need for the ”bold decisions” being taken by the SNP Government.
”We are working to bring major investors in renewable energy to Dundee which will create hundreds of jobs here,” she said.
”We have strongly supported the momentum of the V&A and the waterfront development project in the city, which will either create jobs or secure existing ones.”
Dundee City West MSP Joe FitzPatrick added: ”With our budget having been slashed by £1.3 billion, the Scottish Government is doing everything, within its powers to promote growth and move Scotland forward to recovery.”Youth employment ministerHe highlighted measures, such as Angela Constance being appointed the minister for youth employment and First Minister Alex Salmond’s call for an urgent summit with leaders from across the UK.
According to the figures, long-term unemployment in Scotland as a whole has gone up by almost a third to 26,270, compared with last year’s figure of 20,470.
However, in Perth and Kinross the rate has rocketed by 59% to 255, while in Fife there are 1,970 people preparing for a second Christmas on the dole (up 42%) and 365 in Angus (up 62%).
The TUC said the research shows the number of people out of work for at least 12 months is rising faster in Scotland than in any other part of the UK.
In addition to Dundee, another seven out of the 10 UK local authority areas with the largest increases in long-term unemployment in the past year are Scottish.’Crisis’Grahame Smith, Scottish Trade Union Congress (STUC) general secretary, said the figures reflect a ”crisis” in the Scottish labour market.
”It is absolutely essential that government at all levels redoubles its efforts to boost jobs and growth in the New Year,” he added.
”Another 12 months of complacency will leave Scotland with a legacy of persistent, structural unemployment with all its associated human, social and financial costs.”
A Scottish Government spokeswoman said the latest labour market figures showed Scotland had higher employment and lower inactivity rates compared to the UK as a whole.
She added: ”However, the number of people out of work has increased over the quarter and the Office of Budget Responsibility has reported that the UK economy is already contracting in the final quarter of this year.
”This is why the Scottish Government is calling for an urgent jobs summit, comprised of the four finance ministers of the Westminster government and the devolved administrations, to agree a programme of immediate employment creation a ‘Plan MacB’ with a focus on increased infrastructure investment.”
Tory enterprise spokeswoman Mary Scanlon said the SNP must take responsibility for the problem.
”It is time for the SNP to wake up and start using the considerable powers we have at Holyrood over business tax, college funding, town centres and enterprise,” she said.
Scottish Liberal Democrat leader Willie Rennie added that the figures were a ”stark reminder” of the scale of the problem facing the economy.