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The Scottish unemployment rate is higher than in the UK
Unemployment in Scotland rose by 25,000 to 239,000 between May and July, according to official statistics.
This represented 8.9% of the workforce - higher than the UK average unemployment rate of 7.8%.
The number of people out of work and claiming benefit totalled 136,100 in August - a rise of 700 over the month.
In the UK as a whole unemployment fell by 8,000 to 2.47 million, while the claimant count rose by an unexpected 2,300 last month to 1.47 million.
AnalysisThe unemployment picture shows the gap widening between Scotland and England, whereas Scotland began the recession in better shape. But what can get ignored is the underlying employment figures. They matter because they show the rate at which the economy is getting back towards growth. Comparing the February-April quarter with the May-July quarter, there were 25,000 more jobs showing up in the labour market survey in Scotland, which is a roughly fair share of the 286,000 increase for the UK as a whole. (Coincidentally and confusingly, the survey also showed 25,000 more people looking for work, which can be explained by more people entering the jobs market.) But look at the past year: England put on 304,000 more jobs, while Scotland shed 40,000. There's a resilience to the UK economy which is not as evident in Scotland. And all this before the public spending squeeze.
The Scottish Secretary Michael Moore said: "These figures show the heavy human price that Scotland is paying for the last government's economic incompetence."
He added: "The coalition inherited rising unemployment and a record peacetime deficit, and our challenge is to turn those problems around.
"We are doing that with decisive action to restore our economy and, in turn, help Scotland's men and women to find quality, lasting jobs."
The number of people employed in Scotland also rose over the three months from May to July by 25,000, and fell by 40,000 over the year to stand at 2,455,000.
The employment rate increased by 0.7% - the second consecutive rise, and the largest quarterly increase in Scottish employment since the beginning of 2007.
Scotland's Enterprise Minister Jim Mather warned that spending cuts posed a significant threat to the country's fragile recovery.
He said: "While the employment rise is obviously an encouraging sign - and shows that the Scottish Government is right to prioritise action to support jobs, skills and training - the very unwelcome rise in unemployment highlights that recovery is fragile, and is threatened by UK Government spending cuts that are too quick and too deep."
This article is from the BBC News website. ? British Broadcasting Corporation, The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites.
The Scottish unemployment rate is higher than in the UK Unemployment in Scotland rose by 25,000 to 239,000 between May and July, according to official statistics.
This represented 8.9% of the workforce - higher than the UK average unemployment rate of 7.8%.
The number of people out of work and claiming benefit totalled 136,100 in August - a rise of 700 over the month.
In the UK as a whole unemployment fell by 8,000 to 2.47 million, while the claimant count rose by an unexpected 2,300 last month to 1.47 million.
AnalysisThe unemployment picture shows the gap widening between Scotland and England, whereas Scotland began the recession in better shape. But what can get ignored is the underlying employment figures. They matter because they show the rate at which the economy is getting back towards growth. Comparing the February-April quarter with the May-July quarter, there were 25,000 more jobs showing up in the labour market survey in Scotland, which is a roughly fair share of the 286,000 increase for the UK as a whole. (Coincidentally and confusingly, the survey also showed 25,000 more people looking for work, which can be explained by more people entering the jobs market.) But look at the past year: England put on 304,000 more jobs, while Scotland shed 40,000. There's a resilience to the UK economy which is not as evident in Scotland. And all this before the public spending squeeze.
The Scottish Secretary Michael Moore said: "These figures show the heavy human price that Scotland is paying for the last government's economic incompetence."
He added: "The coalition inherited rising unemployment and a record peacetime deficit, and our challenge is to turn those problems around.
"We are doing that with decisive action to restore our economy and, in turn, help Scotland's men and women to find quality, lasting jobs."
The number of people employed in Scotland also rose over the three months from May to July by 25,000, and fell by 40,000 over the year to stand at 2,455,000.
The employment rate increased by 0.7% - the second consecutive rise, and the largest quarterly increase in Scottish employment since the beginning of 2007.
Scotland's Enterprise Minister Jim Mather warned that spending cuts posed a significant threat to the country's fragile recovery.
He said: "While the employment rise is obviously an encouraging sign - and shows that the Scottish Government is right to prioritise action to support jobs, skills and training - the very unwelcome rise in unemployment highlights that recovery is fragile, and is threatened by UK Government spending cuts that are too quick and too deep."
This article is from the BBC News website. ? British Broadcasting Corporation, The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites.