Scotland's Economy

  • Veterans mean business

    18th November 2015 by

    To mark Global Entrepreneurship Week, Deputy First Minister John Swinney has met and heard the stories of ex-service personnel who have set up in business since re-entering civilian life. Supported by X Forces – a social enterprise that nurtures entrepreneurial ambition in the UK military community – the businesses produce innovative products and provide new...

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  • Scottish Steel can still have a future

    21st October 2015 by

    For decades, there wasn’t a family in Scotland’s industrial heartlands who didn’t know a steel worker. The manufacture and processing of steel was part of the backbone of our economy. The 1980s and 1990s, of course, changed that. Lanarkshire was badly hit, as Gartcosh closed in 1986 then Ravenscraig in 1992. Today we all stand...

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  • Queen re-opens Borders Railway

    10th September 2015 by

    This new Borders Railway line is the result of £300m of investment and the expert work of more than 1,000 peopleFirst Minister Nicola Sturgeon and 150 other guests joined Her Majesty and the Duke of Edinburgh on an iconic steam train journey from Edinburgh to mark the official route opening, before a special plaque was...

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  • Record-breaking employment numbers

    28th May 2015 by

    Scotland had 2,558,800 people in employment in 2014, the highest since comparable records began in 2004 and the lowest ever number of 16 to 19 year olds not in education, employment or training. This is a remarkable set of figures that demonstrates that the work the Scottish Government is doing to improve employability and get...

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  • Scottish Business Pledge launches

    26th May 2015 by

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  • £6 million to support Fife Taskforce

    28th April 2015 by

    This is a very anxious time for the workers at Tullis Russell, their families and indeed the wider community across Fife. Particularly in a small town the size of Markinch, the potential impact of these job losses cannot be underestimated. We are therefore making an immediate and initial financial investment of £6 million to support...

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  • Taskforce set up to support oil & gas jobs

    14th January 2015 by

    A new Energy Jobs Taskforce will be established to support Scotland’s oil and gas sector, First Minister Nicola Sturgeon announced today. The new Taskforce, chaired by Scottish Enterprise Chief Executive Lena Wilson, will report to the Scottish Energy Advisory Board and will focus on supporting jobs across the energy sector, but with an initial emphasis...

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  • 2014: positive year for the Scottish economy

    30th December 2014 by

    This Government is determined to build a fairer, more sustainable, and more balanced economy and 2014 saw the Scottish economy log its strongest performance in seven years. With further headway in economic conditions expected next year, this should bring opportunity for business and security for hard working people across the country. The picture in the...

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  • FM Nicola Sturgeon makes major economic speech

    1st December 2014 by

    Today, I am making clear that a strong, growing economy with a thriving business base is essential to the overall success of our country. I am also announcing that I will strengthen the role of the Scottish Government’s Council of Economic Advisers, to ensure that my government has access to the best possible advice as...

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  • Women in work

    14th November 2014 by

    This was been a historic week for female employment. In amongst some very positive news in the latest labour market figures was proof that that we are making a difference in narrowing of the gender gap. The gap between male and female employment rates in Scotland shrunk from 9.4 percentage points in Nov-Jan 2013 to...

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