A senior figure in the construction industry has criticised Government statistics claiming Scottish construction employment grew by 14% last year.

In a letter Michael Levack, Chief Executive of the Scottish Building Federation, welcomed news that Scottish unemployment fell by 7,000 between December and February but he noted that less widely reported this week were figures showing that employment in the Scottish construction sector fell by 6000 in the last quarter of 2010.

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In the letter Mr Levack stated: "More generally, I question the accuracy of official figures which suggest Scottish construction employment grew by 14% last year. Scottish Building Federation members up and down the country have been telling me a different story of shrinking order books and finances under serious pressure

"In the short term, building firms are faced with the prospect of plummeting public capital spending and a private sector that is still struggling to recover.

"My fear is that indications of construction employment falling at the end of 2010 are a portent of further job losses to come in 2011."

(GK/BMcC)