First Minister: Scotland 'almost certain' to need furlough scheme beyond October as jobless number soars
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First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has said it is “almost certain” Scotland will need the furlough scheme to be extended beyond October after a huge leap in jobless numbers.
Scotland’s unemployment rate shot up from 3.5 per cent to 4.6 per cent, a rise of 30,000 to a total of 127,000 between February and April.
The UK unemployment rate is 3.9 per cent.
At today's Scottish Government briefing Ms Sturgeon said: “I know that these kinds of statistics, and generally increasing economic anxiety, lead some to argue for a quicker than planned exit from lockdown, and I absolutely understand that.
“But we must guard against a reckless relaxation of lockdown measures because if we lift these restrictions too quickly and allow this virus to run out of control again that would not only be economically counter-productive but it would also cost many more lives.
“The key point is this – the more we can suppress this virus now the more normality we can restore as we open up the economy and society, and also the more able we will then be to cope with any resurgence of the virus.
"We have welcomed assistance from the UK government such as the job retention scheme, but it is essential that this scheme is extended if that proves necessary – which I think is almost certain – and we are making that case to the UK government.
Ms Sturgeon also announced that free school meals – currently replaced in the Highlands with a voucher scheme for qualifying families – will continue over the summer.
Five further deaths from Covid-19 across Scotland have been registered in the past 24 hours, bringing the official total number of deaths in Scotland from the virus to 2453.
