Born in 1946 and brought up in Cupar, Fife, I was educated at the local school - 
SNP MSP for Banffshire & Buchan Coast, Stewart Stevenson has welcomed the new figures showing a 0.4% fall in unemployment over the year.
There are currently 28,000 more people in work in Scotland compared to pre-recession levels, and employment levels for both women and young people are higher in Scotland than the UK as a whole, according to the latest Office for National Statistics figures.
However the EU referendum and subsequent lack of leadership from Westminster has caused economic uncertainty, and leaving the single market would pose further risk to progress on employment and the economy. This is why the Scottish Government has taken steps to mitigate the uncertainty caused by Brexit – including investing an additional £100 million to stimulate growth and support jobs, as well as introducing a new £500 million Scottish Growth Scheme for small and medium sized businesses.
Commenting, Stewart Stevenson MSP said,
“It is encouraging that unemployment in Scotland has fallen over the year, with more women and young people employed here compared to the UK.
“The EU referendum and subsequent lack of leadership from the Tory government has however caused economic uncertainty, with unemployment rising slightly in the months following the referendum despite overall gains throughout the year. It is imperative for the North-east that we retain membership of the single market so that these improvements in employment do not go into retreat.
“In the face of uncertainty the Scottish Labour Market is performing extremely well and the Scottish Government is investing an additional £100 million to help stimulate growth and support jobs, as well as a establishing a new £500 million Scottish Growth Scheme to support in particular small and medium enterprises.
“The SNP remains determined to pursue every avenue to secure Scotland’s continued place in the single market and the stability, jobs and investment that come from being part of the world’s biggest single market.”
“The EU referendum and subsequent lack of leadership from the Tory government has however caused economic uncertainty, with unemployment rising slightly in the months following the referendum despite overall gains throughout the year. It is imperative for the North-east that we retain membership of the single market so that these improvements in employment do not go into retreat.
“In the face of uncertainty the Scottish Labour Market is performing extremely well and the Scottish Government is investing an additional £100 million to help stimulate growth and support jobs, as well as a establishing a new £500 million Scottish Growth Scheme to support in particular small and medium enterprises.
“The SNP remains determined to pursue every avenue to secure Scotland’s continued place in the single market and the stability, jobs and investment that come from being part of the world’s biggest single market.”
