The unemployment rate in Scotland remains lower than the UK average for the tenth month in a row, despite not changing during the last quarter.
Figures released by the Office for National Statistics for March to May 2019 show unemployment has remained at 3.3 per cent in Scotland compared to 3.8% in the UK, while employment has increased by 0.2%.
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Although the employment rate in Scotland of 75.8% for those between the ages of 16 and 64 is lower than the UK average of 76%, Scottish business minister Jamie Hepburn said that there are many areas where the Scottish economy is outperforming the UK as a whole.
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He said: “Yet again we are seeing strong results for Scotland’s labour market. Scotland’s employment rate rose over the quarter and year to 75.8%, very close to the highest on record.
“The unemployment rate fell over the year to 3.3%, also very close to the record low and 0.5 percentage points lower than the UK’s (3.8%).
"Our unemployment rate has now been lower than the UK’s for 10 months in a row.
“But it’s not just headline rates where we’re doing well. The employment rate for Scotland’s women rose over the quarter and year to 72.5% - continuing to outperform the UK where the employment rate is lower at 72.0%.”
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