Four people chasing every job vacancy in the Lothians

FOUR people are now chasing every job vacancy in the Lothians, according to new figures.

A detailed breakdown of unemployment statistics and the numbers of posts available shows a total of 6967 people out of work in Edinburgh and 2206 unfilled vacancies.

That equates to more than three people for every job

– and that's before the latest wave of 2300 bank job losses hits the Capital.

In Midlothian, there are 1174 people unemployed and just 177 vacancies – a ratio of seven people out of work for every job.

The worst figure for the region is in the Linlithgow and Falkirk East constituency, where there are 2338 people for 187 posts, a ratio of 13 to one.

Across Scotland, the statistics reveal 7.8 people unemployed for every job vacancy.

The breakdown comes in the wake of this week's unemployment figures, which showed 1.97 million people out of work, the highest figure for ten years.

The number of people on Jobseekers' Allowance in Scotland has risen by 46 per cent in the past year from 74,411 to 108,906.

The area around Edinburgh is among the worst hit, with East Lothian seeing a massive 96 per cent rise.

John Barrett, Liberal Democrat MP for Edinburgh West, said: "Whichever way the Government spins these figures, there are still almost eight unemployed people for each vacancy advertised in Scottish job centres.

"This is devastating news for people who find themselves unemployed in the current recession."

City economic development convener Tom Buchanan said: "We are obviously in very challenging times. No economic commentator really knows where we are in the economic cycle.

"We have to put in place plans that expect the worst and hope for the best."