Unemployment in Scotland climbed by 19,000 to 168,000 in the first quarter of the year, according to official figures, BBC reported. Office for National Statistics data showed an unemployment rate of 6%, compared with 5.5% for the whole of the UK. Employment in Scotland fell by 3,000 over the three months, and now stands at 2,622,000. The number of people claiming Job Seeker’s Allowance fell by 1,100 to 77,500 between March and April - 25,300 lower than a year ago. Scottish Secretary David Mundell said: “Today’s figures are a stark reminder of the difficult economic situation we have come through and the work which remains to ensure our economic recovery works for everybody and every part of our country.”
