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Labour unveils employment plans Labour unveils employment plans
(about 2 hours later)
Ministers have announced plans to get 100,000 people back to work within eight years with the creation on a new employment agency in Scotland. Ministers have announced plans to get 100,000 people back to work within eight years with the creation of 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 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.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.It is intended to be a model for the rest of the UK.
The new agency is expected to focus on teenagers who are neither at work, in college or in training.The new agency is expected to focus on teenagers who are neither at work, in college or in training.
Scotland has exceeded its interim target to reduce child poverty by a quarter by 2005 ahead of the rest of the UK but we accept there is more we must do First Minister Jack McConnellScotland has exceeded its interim target to reduce child poverty by a quarter by 2005 ahead of the rest of the UK but we accept there is more we must do First Minister Jack McConnell
Mr Hutton was in Easterhouse in Glasgow to discuss ways of tackling poverty and unemployment.Mr Hutton was in Easterhouse in Glasgow to discuss ways of tackling poverty and unemployment.
He believes much has been done to address the issue over the last decade but more effort is needed.
A local community group in Easterhouse also expressed concern that good work to regenerate the area could be undone by the visit.A local community group in Easterhouse also expressed concern that good work to regenerate the area could be undone by the visit.
The announcement about the new employment agency came when Mr McConnell and Mr Hutton visited the Wise Group in Glasgow, a non profit body which helps the unemployed find and keep a job. The announcement about the new employment agency came when Mr McConnell and Mr Hutton visited the Wise Group in Glasgow, a non-profit body which helps the unemployed find and keep a job.
Mr McConnell said: "Labour has made real progress in Scotland in tackling poverty and getting people back to work. Mr McConnell said: "Scotland now has the highest employment rate of the UK nations, and amongst the very best in the whole of Europe.
"Scotland now has the highest employment rate of the UK nations, and amongst the very best in the whole of Europe.
"And Scotland has exceeded its interim target to reduce child poverty by a quarter by 2005 ahead of the rest of the UK but we accept there is more we must do."And Scotland has exceeded its interim target to reduce child poverty by a quarter by 2005 ahead of the rest of the UK but we accept there is more we must do.
"There remain too many people out of work and in poverty." "There remains too many people out of work and in poverty."
'Massive regeneration''Massive regeneration'
Mr Hutton added: "Our visit to Scotland has been designed to agree how Labour ministers north and south of the border can work even closer together to get more people back to work, reduce poverty and have a better skilled, better motivated workforce."Mr Hutton added: "Our visit to Scotland has been designed to agree how Labour ministers north and south of the border can work even closer together to get more people back to work, reduce poverty and have a better skilled, better motivated workforce."
Earlier Mr McConnell and Mr Hutton visited a welfare reform meeting at the John Wheatley College in Easterhouse. Earlier, Mr McConnell and Mr Hutton visited a welfare reform meeting at the John Wheatley College in Easterhouse.
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.
"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."
The first minister said too many people remain without a jobThe first minister said too many people remain without a job
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.
Adam Gaines, Scottish Director of the Disability Rights Commission, said: "Disabled people in Scotland are twice as likely to be out of work, twice as likely to have no formal qualifications and twice as likely to live in poverty, as non-disabled people."
The Scottish National Party criticised Mr Hutton ahead of the 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 Scottish National Party criticised Mr Hutton ahead of the 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."