Eight jobseekers chasing every vacancy in Scotland

EIGHT jobseekers were chasing every vacancy in Scotland last year, research by the GMB union has found.

This was the highest ratio in the UK, which had an average figure of 5.2.

In comparison, there were fewer than four people per vacancy in the east, south-east and south-west of England.

Parts of the UK that saw figures well above the national average included North Ayrshire and Clackmannashire, with 17 jobseekers per vacancy.

GMB leader Paul Kenny said: “The rise in unemployment since the recovery stalled was made in Downing Street. The truth is that jobs are haemorrhaging in the public and private sectors and no-one in parliament seems to care about the human costs.

“There are 35 areas, including cities like Glasgow, where more than a quarter of households have no-one in work.”