A SCHEME to help employees faced with redundancy will be given additional staff support, the Scottish Government said yesterday.

A SCHEME to help employees faced with redundancy will be given additional staff support, the Scottish Government said yesterday.

About 80 staff will be made available from government agency Skills Development Scotland to bolster the Partnership Action for Continuing Employment (Pace).

The service has been under pressure due to current economic turmoil and job fears across the country.

Education secretary Fiona Hyslop said Pace teams helped more than 7200 people at more than 70 companies last year.

Ms Hyslop added: "In light of the economic climate, we want to ensure we strengthen the role and support offered by Pace, including the role it can play in preventing job losses in the first place."

A national helpline will be set up from February 1 to connect concerned employees to Pace teams, and a conference will be held on February 9 to give businesses a voice.

The move was welcomed by trades union body the STUC.

General secretary Grahame Smith said: "Economic insecurity amongst Scottish workers is growing as fears of a steep rise in unemployment look increasingly justified.

"In this context, the STUC welcomes the cabinet secretary's announcement of enhancements to the Pace initiative.

"It is particularly encouraging that the cabinet secretary has confirmed that Pace should continue to work to prevent or minimise job losses rather than just deal with redundancies once they have happened."