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| New agency to create 100,000 jobs | |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| Labour has announced plans to get 100,000 people back to work within eight years with the creation on a new employment agency in Scotland. | |
| The announcement came from First Minister Jack McConnell and Work and Pensions Minister John Hutton during a visit to Glasgow. | |
| The new agency will be part of the Scottish Executive but will work with the Department of Work and Pensions. | |
| It is intended to be a model for the rest of the UK. | |
| The work and pensions minister was in Scotland to discuss ways of tackling poverty and unemployment. | |
| John Hutton believes much has been done to address the issue over the last decade but more effort is needed. | |
| Visits like this don't help because it puts the area under the spotlight in a negative way Jimmy WilsonFare co-ordinator | |
| The minister met Mr McConnell in Glasgow's Easterhouse but his visit was criticised by the Scottish National Party. | |
| A local community group also expressed concern that good work to regenerate the area could be undone by the visit. | A local community group also expressed concern that good work to regenerate the area could be undone by the visit. |
| The area has been the focus for highly publicised visits by politicians in the past, including former Tory leader Iain Duncan Smith, who sought to highlight the plight of the most vulnerable in society. | The area has been the focus for highly publicised visits by politicians in the past, including former Tory leader Iain Duncan Smith, who sought to highlight the plight of the most vulnerable in society. |
| Jimmy Wilson, integration co-ordinator for Family Action in Rogerfield and Easterhouse (Fare), said: "Local residents will probably be a bit annoyed that Easterhouse is continually stigmatised as the only poverty stricken area within Glasgow - there are many other areas which are worse. | Jimmy Wilson, integration co-ordinator for Family Action in Rogerfield and Easterhouse (Fare), said: "Local residents will probably be a bit annoyed that Easterhouse is continually stigmatised as the only poverty stricken area within Glasgow - there are many other areas which are worse. |
| "Easterhouse has got a reputation not only in Scotland but around the world and we are trying to change that by undergoing massive regeneration. | "Easterhouse has got a reputation not only in Scotland but around the world and we are trying to change that by undergoing massive regeneration. |
| "Visits like this don't help because it puts the area under the spotlight in a negative way. If this continues to happen, businesses will be put off coming to the area." | "Visits like this don't help because it puts the area under the spotlight in a negative way. If this continues to happen, businesses will be put off coming to the area." |
| Welfare reform | |
| A recent report said Glasgow had one of the highest concentrations of people claiming benefits. | A recent report said Glasgow had one of the highest concentrations of people claiming benefits. |
| However, the Institute for Public Policy Research report also revealed that poverty was increasingly affecting people outside Scotland's big cities. | However, the Institute for Public Policy Research report also revealed that poverty was increasingly affecting people outside Scotland's big cities. |
| The UK Government's welfare reform bill aims to reduce the number of people on incapacity benefit and encourage lone parents and older people back to work. | The UK Government's welfare reform bill aims to reduce the number of people on incapacity benefit and encourage lone parents and older people back to work. |
| Some organisations who work in the field of social exclusion and welfare reform are using the visit by the Westminster politician to voice their concerns about the changes. | Some organisations who work in the field of social exclusion and welfare reform are using the visit by the Westminster politician to voice their concerns about the changes. |
| They are worried there will not be enough support for those who want to work and not enough protection for those who are unable to. | They are worried there will not be enough support for those who want to work and not enough protection for those who are unable to. |
| A recent report warned of the spread of poverty in Scotland | A recent report warned of the spread of poverty in Scotland |
| Meanwhile, The Scottish National Party attacked Mr Hutton ahead of his visit, saying that the trip comes the day after a ruling that thousands of British workers who lost their pensions as a result of company insolvency received "inadequate" protection from the UK Government. | |
| The European Court of Justice said the system in place before the establishment of the Pension Protection Fund was "incompatible" with European law. | The European Court of Justice said the system in place before the establishment of the Pension Protection Fund was "incompatible" with European law. |
| The ruling stopped short of demanding that employees receive direct recompense from the state. | The ruling stopped short of demanding that employees receive direct recompense from the state. |
| SNP MP Mike Weir said: "How dare John Hutton jaunt up to Scotland to talk down our abilities to run a pensions policy when his own department is mired in a pensions crisis which Gordon Brown's 1997 tax grab is largely responsible for." | SNP MP Mike Weir said: "How dare John Hutton jaunt up to Scotland to talk down our abilities to run a pensions policy when his own department is mired in a pensions crisis which Gordon Brown's 1997 tax grab is largely responsible for." |
| Mr Hutton is visiting Scotland with three other Department of Work and Pensions ministers. | Mr Hutton is visiting Scotland with three other Department of Work and Pensions ministers. |