Number of young Scots not in work is soaring

Published on Monday 19 July 2010 20:21

THE number of young Scots who are not in work or education and training programmes (Neets) has increased by thousands in just one year, The Scotsman can reveal.

Scotland's figures for 16- to 19-year-olds in that category soared from 31,000 to 36,000, sparking fears of a "forgotten generation" left on the "scrap heap".

The increase between 2008 and 2009 comes as a multi-million pound cut was made to a fund set-up to help communities with high levels of youths out of work and without education or training places.

Labour hit out at the SNP government over the decision to axe the More Choices, More Chances grant, which would have been 3 million annually.

The Neet figures, which were rounded off to the nearest thousand, were revealed in a written answer by schools minister Keith Brown to a parliamentary question from Labour's higher education spokeswoman Claire Baker.

She said: "With these figures it is safe to say that more Nats means more Neets. This is a clear sign that under the SNP, a forgotten generation is beginning to emerge.

"Young people should never be consigned to the scrap-heap and left without the vital opportunities to improve their circumstances, but we can see that this is happening to more and more young Scots.

"These figures show that the Salmond slump is taking hold and seriously affecting youth unemployment in Scotland."

The Scottish Government said that the recession had harmed young people, but claimed the bulk of youths were benefiting from employment and educational or training opportunities.

A spokesman said "record levels" of youths in Scotland were getting the chance to stay on at school, go to college or university and take up apprenticeships. There was also a 6.5m package of measures to support those leaving school this summer.