Reduction in youth unemployment in Scotland

The number of Scottish 16-19-year-olds claiming unemployment benefit has dropped by more than a quarter in the last year, according to new figures.

There were 9,410 teenagers in that age group claiming jobseekers allowance in September 2013 compared with 12,670 in the same month the previous year.

This was a reduction of 25.73%.

All the local authorities in Scotland saw a drop apart from Shetland, where the figure remained the same as the previous year.

Glasgow saw a drop of 490, while in North Lanarkshire the number of 16-19-year-olds claiming the allowance fell by 310.

'Critical area'

Jamie Hepburn, SNP MSP for Cumbernauld and Kilsyth, welcomed the figures from the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (Spice).

He said: "These positive figures highlight the significant progress being made in Scotland in terms of getting young people into work. While times remain challenging and there is absolutely no room for complacency a drop in the number of 16-19 year old claimants of JSA by over 25% is a strong indication of progress.

"The fact that not one out of Scotland's 32 local authority areas has experienced a negative change highlights the universal commitment of the Scottish government."

He added: "It is also a testament to the determination of Scotland's young people; the findings highlight the fact that if you give young people in Scotland a chance they will grasp it.

"Scotland continues to outperform the UK as a whole in the critical area of youth employment."