Summit calls for action on youth unemployment

A LABOUR party summit examining youth unemployment has concluded urgent action is needed to "break the cycle" of long-term joblessness.

Official statistics showed the number of jobless 18 to 24-year-olds increased from 2,505 to 6,485 between October 2007 and October this year.

In Midlothian, long-term unemployment rose more than five-fold in the past three years, with other large increases in East Lothian and the Scottish Borders.

More than half of Scotland's local authority areas recorded a drop in the number since October 2009 however.

Businesses, trade unions, local authorities and voluntary bodies were involved in the discussions.

Afterwards former Scottish minister Andy Kerr said: "What we heard today was that we cannot allow the mistakes of the 1980s to be repeated."

"Our analysis shows long-term youth unemployment has nearly trebled as a result of the recession. We need to take urgent action."