Construction bosses have backed Scottish Government calls for a UK Budget for jobs next week and say the construction industry should be top of the Chancellor’s list for support.

Attending a summit on youth employment hosted jointly by Scottish and UK Ministers in Dundee on 15th March, Scottish Building Federation Chief Executive Michael Levack said: "The construction industry has traditionally been the cornerstone of the Scottish apprenticeship system, supporting thousands of young people with sustainable high quality training and employment opportunities.

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"Sadly, employment in Scottish construction is between 30,000 and 40,000 jobs below where it was three years ago. I fully support the Scottish Government’s call for the Chancellor to make next week’s UK Budget a budget for jobs.

"Releasing additional funds for capital investment, cutting VAT on home repairs and improvements and action to get banks lending again should be top of the Chancellor’s priority list. With the right support, construction firms will have the confidence to start recruiting again, offering the kind of long-term job opportunities Scotland’s growing number of unemployed young people is crying out for."

(GK)