South Scotland MSP Colin Smyth has said that its time for action on local unemployment from both the UK and Scottish Governments.

The call comes as the latest figures from the Office of National Statistics (ONS) released today (13 November) show another increase in unemployment in Dumfries and Galloway. The figures show that in October this year there were 2,060 people claiming out of work benefits, and increase of 100 from September.

The last time the number of unemployed people in the region was above 2,000 was August 2014.

The figures show that since the beginning of the year there are now another 415 unemployed people in the whole region.

Colin Smyth MSP said, “In the last three months we have seen of over 300 people become unemployed. The time has come for urgent action from the Scottish and UK Government’s to support the local economy and create jobs in Dumfries and Galloway.

It is essential that we see the creation of an Enterprise Agency that is rooted in the South of Scotland and fully funded Borderlands Growth Deal so see investment in infrastructure and our local economy. People and businesses in Dumfries and Galloway don’t have years to wait we need to see an Enterprise Agency and Growth Deal as quickly as possible so we can reverse the trend of increasing unemployment in Dumfries and Galloway.”