A RISE in the number of men in work has been largely responsible for boosting Scotland’s employment total, new figures show.
The latest data from the Office for National Statistics reveals employment rose by 18,000 to 2,654,000 in the period September to November 2019. While the number of men in work increased to 1,371,000, the figure for women was relatively static at 1,283,000.
There was a decrease of 7000 in the number of Scots out of work, with the unemployment total falling to 105,000. Scotland’s unemployment rate among those aged 16 to 64 fell to 3.9%, with the overall rate slightly lower at 3.8% The UK employment rate among the working age population was 76.3% – the highest on record – compared to 74.3% in Scotland.
Business Minister Jamie Hepburn said unemployment had fallen by 0.3% over the quarter and “remains low by historical standards”.
But he added: “These latest statistics signal that Brexit is continuing to negatively impact on employment in Scotland.
“The Scottish Government will also continue to do all it can to stimulate growth, jobs and investment through the policies set out in our Economic Action Plan and Prepare for Brexit campaign.”
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