Broadmeadow Industrial Estate in central Dumbarton. Picture by Bill Heaney
By Democrat reporter
Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Vale of Leven and Helensburgh, has called for urgent action on future job security and economic recovery.
This follows figures released by the Office of National Statistics which show that Scotland has the highest rate of unemployment in the UK. The unemployment rate for over 16s in Scotland has reached 4.6% compared to 3.9% in England.
In Scotland, between February and April, unemployment in Scotland rose by 30,000 people to 127,000. Economic analyists have said that these figures could, in part, be explained by Scotland’s reliance on the tourism industry for job creation and revenue.
Since the beginning of lockdown, Jackie Baillie has worked with the Scottish Government and local tourism sector businesses in her constituency to ensure that there is tourism-specific support to avoid large scale unemployment and the permanent closure of many companies.
The closure of such businesses would have devastating consequence for the local and national economies.
West Dunbartonshire has been hit particularly hard by Covid-19 related unemployment. Figures from the Department of Work and Pensions show that unemployment in the area rose from 2885 in March 2020 to 4440 in April 2020.
West Dunbartonshire’s figure of 7.8% unemployment is only second to North Ayrshire’s 7.9% unemployment in terms of the highest rates of unemployment in Scotland.
Jackie Baillie has consistently called for support to be given to those who have found themselves unemployed or unable to seek work during the crisis and has urged the Scottish Government to lay out plans for how to support employees beyond the current Job Retention Scheme period.
The local MSP said: “These figures highlight the urgent need for a robust and long term industrial strategy. Our economy is in an unprecedented crisis and unemployment figures are growing exponentially.
“Workers in West Dunbartonshire, and across the country, have suddenly found themselves out of work and have no idea if or when they will be able to find work again.
“The financial aid from both the Scottish and UK Government for those who find themselves unemployed and furloughed has been a help but it is vital that this support is developed and extended.
“The current crisis in the job market is not going to end anytime soon and workers cannot be allowed to suffer because of a situation that is completely out with their control.”
The SNP locally refused to comment.
Meanwhile, Jackie Baillie has called for a transformational response to the current economic crisis that Scotland faces.
This is in light of figures published by the Scottish Government which show that Scotland’s GDP (gross domestic product) had a real terms fall of 18.9% in April and a fall of 5% in March.
This is a direct result of the economic crisis caused by the Covid-19 pandemic.
Jackie Baillie has repeatedly called for a robust economic recovery plan to be created in order to help protect businesses and ensure that there are jobs for the future.
The MSP said: “The GDP figures for April highlight the dire economic state that our economy is currently in, and will be in for the foreseeable future.
“Urgent and long term action must be taken by both the Scottish and UK Governments if we aware to have any hope of surviving this period. We have already seen extensive job losses and the closure of both local and national companies.
“Any response must be centred around protecting jobs both in the short and long term and ensuring that businesses have the financial support to be able to function and prosper in the future.
“I want to see both the Scottish and UK Governments working together to plan the best way forward for Scotland.”