22 December 2010

Marlyn Glen is highlighting with the Scottish Government the plight of over 280 construction trade workers in Dundee who are currently seeking work.

Official Scottish Government statistics show that the number of those looking for by occupation is :

Bricklayers and masons 35

Roofers, roof tilers and slaters 10

Plumbers, heating and ventilating engineers 50

Carpenters and joiners 100

Glaziers 5

Plasterers 5

Floorers and wall tilers 20

Painters and decorators 60

Her move occurs as an answer to her parliamentary question on spending on housing in Dundee by the Scottish Government shows an estimated fall of 50 per cent - over £6 million pounds this year compared with last year - in the Affordable Housing Investment Programme

The estimated £6 million spend this year (2010-11) is also less than half in real terms of what was spent in the city in 2006-07.

Ms. Glen commented,

"There is broad agreement across the construction industry of the critical need for the Scottish Government to prioritise investment in the building sector.

"Not only will this create jobs in construction but it will also encourage growth in other vital sectors of the local economy as well."

Marlyn Glen : To ask the Scottish Executive how many construction sector workers in (a) Dundee and (b) Angus are registered as looking for work as (i) bricklayers, (ii) masons, (iii) roofers, roof tilers and slaters, (iv) plumbers, (v) heating engineers, (vi) joiners, (vii) plasterers, (viii) floorers, (ix) wall tilers, (x) painters and decorators, (xi) glaziers and (xii) steel erectors.

Jim Mather : The claimant count is a measure of those claiming unemployment related benefits in Scotland. The information requested is set out in the following table.

Table 1. Number of people on the Claimant Count by Sought Occupation, November 2010.

Marlyn Glen : To ask the Scottish Executive how much the Affordable Housing Investment Programme has allocated in the Dundee City Council area in each year since 2006-07, also expressed in real terms.

Mr Alex Neil MSP :

Most of the Affordable Housing Investment Programme (AHIP) is used to provide grants to registered social landlords (RSLs) to build new homes for rent and low-cost home ownership, but also includes grants and assistance to councils, individuals and private companies.

Download this release (PDF format) >>>

ShareThis