Local MSP Welcomes Dramatic Drop In Peterhead Unemployment

Figures provided by the Scottish Parliament's Information Centre have revealed that the number of of unemployed claimants in the Peterhead travel to work area has dropped since the election of Alex Salmond as the SNP member for Banff & Buchan 25 years ago.

In February 1987 there were 1,840 claimants while February this year saw less than a third of that number, 566, now claiming due to unemployment.

Welcoming this news, local SNP MSP Stewart Stevenson said;

“Over the years, Peterhead has risen to the challenge of changing times. Many new and expanded businesses, in the oil industry, food production and increasingly in renewables have more than filled the gaps caused by the closure of older traditional employers.

“While a single person unemployed and able to work is one too many, we have seen a very steady rise in employment in the area. Indeed many employers are now much concerned about recruiting suitable staff.

“Alex Salmond set the standard with his efforts to protect jobs over the last quarter century and MP Eilidh Whiteford and I have sought to follow his lead.”

Speaking about today's challenges, Stevenson continued;

“The Scottish Government has faced hard decisions with a Tory/Liberal Democrat administration at Westminster dramatically cutting funding for Scotland.

“Nonetheless we have maintained capital spending through, for example, the creation of the Scottish Futures Trust. This has been key to reducing the effects of the Tory cuts.

“Over the next years, we shall debate what additional powers Scotland should have. I shall argue for our having the full economic powers to enable us to do even better in the challenging times we face.”