22 Apr 2009
Commenting on Office for National Statistics (ONS) data released today, the Secretary of State for Scotland Jim Murphy said:
"Today's figures show further losses of jobs in Scotland and across the UK. This is the real effect of damaging global economic conditions. However the UK Government is determined to stop the newly unemployed becoming the long-term unemployed.
"We know the effect job losses have on families and that is why we are doing everything we can to get real help to people losing their jobs.
"The Government has set out and established a wide range of initiatives to deliver real help to families and businesses. By supporting individuals and stimulating the economy, we are working hard counteract today's difficult conditions.
"Today's budget will set out the further steps that this Government is taking to invest for the future of the country by growing out of these difficult economic times."
ONS labour market statistics released today show total employment in Scotland at 2,529,000, a fall of 5,000 over the previous quarter and a fall of 14,000 over the year. The Scottish employment rate stands at 75.4 per cent, and continues to be above that of the UK and almost all countries within the EU.
ILO unemployment increased to 143,000 - a 5,000 rise over the quarter and a 15,000 rise over the year. The Scottish unemployment rate is 5.4 per cent, which remains below the UK average unemployment rate of 6.7 per cent.
The claimant count measure (those people out of work and claiming Jobseeker's Allowance (JSA)) increased by 6,000 over the month and by 50,600 over the year to a total of 119,400 for March 2009. The claimant count rate is at 4.3 per cent.
Economic activity was unchanged from the previous quarter at a level of 2,672,000, but increased by 1,000 over the year. The Scottish economic activity rate remains above the UK average.
Latest Data for Scotland
Employment
The Labour Force Survey (LFS) indicates that the number of people in employment in Scotland in December to February 2009 was 2,529,000. Employment was down by 5,000 compared to the previous three months and down by 14,000 compared to the same period last year. The employment rate fell by 0.2 p.p. over the quarter, and fell 1.3 p.p. over the year, to 75.4 per cent. In international terms, the Scottish employment rate remains above the UK average and the corresponding rate for the majority of other EU countries.
Unemployment
ILO unemployment in Scotland was up 5,000 over the quarter December to February 2009 to 143,000. The level was up 15,000 compared to the same quarter last year. The unemployment rate was up 0.2 p.p. from the previous quarter to 5.4 per cent, which is up 0.6 p.p. over the year.
Claimant Count Unemployment
The claimant count in Scotland, based on the seasonally adjusted number of people claiming Job Seeker's Allowance (JSA), increased by 6,000 in the month of March to 119,400. The level is up by 50,600 on March 2008. The claimant count rate was up 0.2 p.p. over the month and up 1.8 p.p. over the year to 4.3 per cent.
Economic Activity
The number of economically active (defined as those in employment or ILO unemployed, seasonally adjusted) in Scotland in the December to February 2009 quarter was 2,672,000. This is unchanged from the previous quarter, and up 1,000 on the same point a year ago. Among those aged 16-59/64, the economic activity rate was 79.8 per cent ¿ down 0.1 p.p. on the previous quarter, and down 0.8 p.p. over the year.
NOTES FOR NEWS EDITORS
1. The internationally comparable International Labour Organisation (ILO) measure of unemployment is the headline figure published by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) for UK regions/countries.
2. The ILO measure of unemployment, which is derived from the Labour Force Survey (LFS), is published 12 times a year for an average of the three preceding consecutive months. ONS recommend that seasonally adjusted data should be compared with the previous non-overlapping three-month period: i.e. December - February data should be compared with September - November data. Quarter to quarter changes at country/regional level are especially subject to sampling variability and should be interpreted in the context of changes over several quarters.
3. The count of those claiming unemployment-related benefits continues to provide a full and timely range of data at sub-Scotland level for local authorities, Travel to Work Areas (TTWAs) and parliamentary constituencies. The claimant count is also the main source of information on unemployment by age and duration. Data on the claimant count in the New Deal age and duration groups is available from 1985.
4. The ILO measure of unemployment defines unemployed people as those who are; without a job, want a job, have actively sought work in the last four weeks and are available to start work in the next two weeks or; out of work, have a found a job and are waiting to start in the next two months. The claimant count measures the number of people claiming Jobseeker's Allowance benefits. The claimant count measure is always the lower measure because some unemployed people are not entitled to claim benefits, or choose not to do so.
5. Economic activity is a measure of those who are in employment plus those who are unemployed but are available to enter the labour market (ILO unemployed). Conversely, the economically inactive are those people who are not in employment, but do not fulfil all the ILO criteria to be classified as unemployed. The most common reasons given for inactivity are being a student, being retired, looking after a family or home and being long-term sick or disabled.
To access the data from the ONS site, click on the following link:
http://www.statistics.gov.uk/StatBase/Product.asp?vlnk=15084
Select the link "Regional Monthly Data - February 2009" which will prompt you to unzip a folder of Excel files. Then select the file "LMSScot1108" to access the data.
Media contact:
Clark Dunn: 0131 244 9053 / 07917 084371
Date: 22 March 2009