4,000 fewer jobless ...and rate tumbling since we voted Leave

EMPLOYMENT in Britain has soared to a record high and unemployment has hit a 42-year low, figures reveal.

Across the UK, the number of people in work has risen by 379,000, while the jobless total has fallen by 175,000 to 1.46million – slashing the unemployment rate to 4.3 per cent.

In Scotland, the unemployment rate has fallen by 4,000 – offering new hope of further economic recovery.

The jobless rate here stood at 3.8 per cent between May to July, compared with 4 per cent in the previous three months and 4.7 per cent a year ago, figures published yesterday reveal.

It indicates that the decision to leave the European Union has not had a negative impact on employment in Scotland.

Data from the Office for National Statistics showed Scotland’s unemployment rate fell by 4,000 to 106,000 over the threemonth period, while the number of people in work increased by 49,000. Over the same period, the UK unemployment rate fell 0.2 percentage points to 4.3 per cent.

Scottish Secretary David Mundell said: ‘It is very encouraging... However, we cannot afford to be complacent. With Scotland’s overall economic performance continuing to lag behind that of the UK, it is imperative our two governments work together. I also urge the Scottish Government to use their extensive powers to boost Scotland’s prosperity.’

The Scottish Government highlighted that for those between the ages of 16 and 64, the employment rate hit a new high of 75.8 per cent between May and July – the highest of any UK nation.

SNP Employability Minister Jamie Hepburn said: ‘Employment has never been higher and unemployment has never been lower.’

But Grahame Smith, general secretary of the Scottish Trades Union Congress, said: ‘Real wages are consistently down, falling by 0.4 per cent this quarter, and households across the country are feeling the pinch.’

Scottish Government data showed that the number of public sector jobs has dropped, while the private sector has grown.

Since 2011, total public sector employment in Scotland has fallen from 604,200 to 543,600, while private sector jobs are up from 1.9million to 2.14million.

There are now 380 fewer police and fire jobs than last year, with the total figure down from 30,200 in 2013 to 27,700. But over the past year there has been a rise of 210 in civil service jobs in Scotland.

Scottish Tory finance spokesman Murdo Fraser said: ‘People will raise eyebrows at an increase in desk jobs for civil servants while valued public services suffer cuts.

‘It’s hypocritical of the SNP to advertise itself as a friend of public sector staff.’

The Scottish Government said: ‘We have increased the number of staff employed in frontline services in the NHS, recruited over 100 new firefighters in the last year and police office numbers remain well above what was inherited in 2007.’