Sturgeon to announce ‘national mission to create jobs’

Nicola Sturgeon will put a “national mission to create jobs” at the center of his plans for next year in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic.

The prime minister will prioritize youth employment and training in her annual “government program”.

He said he wanted to see Scotland “rebuild a stronger, fairer and more sustainable economy.”

Opposition parties have called for more investment in transportation, childcare, housing, and support for local businesses.

The number of people working in Scotland has been hit hard by the coronavirus lockdown, with a sharp increase in those claiming benefits and more than 700,000 employees on leave.

• ‘This virus cannot define our future’ – Sturgeon

Every September, the Scottish government sets a legislative program for the next year.

However, the next parliamentary session will be dominated by the continuing coronavirus crisis and the preparation for the Holyrood elections in May.

The government has already shelved a series of bills that will not be carried out due to the pandemic, including proposals for a tourist tax and reforms to the Gender Recognition Law.

Before his speech, Sturgeon said that continuing to suppress the virus “has to be our immediate priority,” adding that it was “the most important thing we can do as a nation to allow our economy to continue to open up.” No danger”.

However, he said that, looking forward, it should be “our national mission” to “create new green jobs in Scotland with fair wages and good conditions”.

This will include a “youth guarantee” to keep youth at work, as suggested by a panel led by former Tesco Bank chief Benny Higgins, a program to train people to work in new sectors such as industries with low carbon emissions and investment. targeting “green jobs”.

The prime minister said: “It will be essential to equip people with the skills for the future that will allow them to continue working or return to employment.

“From our young people entering the job market for the first time to the older workers who need retraining, we will make sure no one is left behind.”

‘Massive’ investment

Opposition leaders will have a chance to question Sturgeon about his plans, before the MSPs debate them on Wednesday.

Scottish Conservatives have called for “massive” investment in transport infrastructure, including an expansion of the M8 motorway and faster rail links between Glasgow, Edinburgh, Aberdeen and Inverness.

Leader Douglas Ross also called for “job security councils” to be established to help laid off workers find skilled jobs in specific sectors.

He said: “The SNP has let Scotland down by its inability to manage the Scottish economy and budget in a reasonable way. I want that to stop and ensure that vital resources are put into getting good jobs.”

Meanwhile, Scottish Labor wants the government to introduce the Scottish Child Payment, a planned payment for parents that has been delayed until February 2021, saying “families need cash now.”

Leader Richard Leonard said: “The Scottish government has said that the pandemic has made it difficult to implement the payment, but it is the pandemic that has made the payment more urgent and important than ever.”

The Greens of Scotland have established a five-point plan to improve housing, which includes actions to end homelessness, put rent caps and improve energy efficiency, which they say will “start a green recovery.”

And Scottish Liberal Democrats have called for a “precise” focus on economic and social recovery, including faster progress in free child care, better support for local businesses affected by the lockdowns, and testing for international students as they arrive in Scotland.