Dundee’s constituency MSPs today responded to a report by a Labour think tank which claims that Dundee could lose 1500 jobs due to public sector sector cuts.
 
The UK-based Institute of Public Policy Research claims that Dundee could lose 2.1% of its workforce by 2014.
 
Shona Robison MSP for Dundee City East said: “Scotland is leading the economic recovery with employment up 24,000 in the last three months and unemployment rates remaining lower than the UK.
 
 “The Scottish Government is supporting 25,000 modern apprenticeships a year, the highest ever number, and we are tackling areas with the highest levels of unemployment, by using government funding to boost capital investment and help our construction industry.
 
“The First Minister has given a commitment that there will be no compulsory redundancies across the public sector in Scotland – which has been widely welcomed.”
 
Commenting on the report, Dundee West MSP Joe FitzPatrick said: “This is an estimate which may or may not prove to have any foundation in fact, but Dundee City Council and the Scottish Government are bringing forward projects such as a  £4m advance payment to allow the V&A construction to start a year early, and building the new Olympia centre which is presently ongoing.
 
 “The Scottish Government is also working with partner agencies to fund new schools, supporting companies to expand and protect existing jobs elsewhere and investing in creating jobs in new sectors such as renewable energy.
 
“The Scottish Government is working hard to increase economic activity in Scotland so that we can stimulate new sectors to offset job losses where these occur.”