Investment plan could create up to 150,000 jobs, say unions

Up to 150,000 jobs could be created if the Scottish government invested £13bn in new infrastructure projects, a new study has claimed.

The Scottish Trades Union Congress (STUC) research said the posts could be created in areas such as offshore wind and renewables manufacturing.

A further 50,000 jobs could be created in retrofitting buildings to higher standards, the report claims.

The STUC'S Roz Foyer said the need for investment was becoming urgent.

The body's general secretary designate added: "This research we are publishing is drawn from a wider report on the potential for creating green infrastructure jobs which will be published later in the year.

"But given the crisis we face there is no time to be lost.

"The analysis shows that almost 150,000 good quality jobs could be created at the same time as making a real impact on emissions and strengthening Scotland's renewables supply chain."