FEMALE UNEMPLOYMENT LEVELS IN SCOTLAND

Early day motion 161, tabled 18 June 2015 by Angela Crawley (Scottish National Party). Signed by 40 members.

That this House welcomes the news that Scotland has one of the lowest levels of female unemployment in the developed world; understands that the latest comparison figures on female unemployment compiled by the Scottish Parliamentary Information Centre shows that Scotland has the fourth lowest female unemployment level comparing 34 other countries in the developed world; notes that the figures show that among the OECD countries only Norway, Japan and Korea had a lower rate of female unemployment in the fourth quarter of 2014 than the Scottish rate of 4.1 per cent; further understands that a comparison with figures from 1999 when the Scottish Parliament was reconvened show that the powers of devolution have been beneficial to Scotland with a drop in female unemployment of 30 per cent; further notes that these figures follow news last week that Scotland has the lowest female unemployment rate of any country in the EU; and believes that with full fiscal autonomy the Scottish Parliament will go even further to deliver real equality in the workplace, by delivering radical progress on issues like childcare, which will improve Scotland's economic performance.

Signatures by party: Scottish National Party 40.