大象传媒

Holyrood election 2016: Where the parties stand on jobs and the economy

Voters in Scotland go to the polls on Thursday 5 May to choose their next MSPs. But where do the parties stand on key issues? Here we look at jobs and the economy.

Scottish National Party leader Nicola Sturgeon makes pledges on jobs and the economy

  • increasing the number of apprenticeships from 25,000 to 30,000 per year by 2020

  • professional baccalaureate, enabling young people to leave school with a broader range of skills for the workplace

  • introduce a Jobs Grant of 拢100 (拢250 if you have children) for young people aged 16-24 who have been out of work for six months and are starting a job for more than 16 hours a week

  • reduce youth unemployment by 40% by 2021

Scottish Labour Party leader Kezia Dugdale makes pledges on jobs and the economy

  • only award contracts or give grants to organisations agreeing to pay at least the living wage

  • establish a living wage commission to support government and agencies to promote the living wage

  • establish a new "Skills Scotland" to help Scots move "into" work and then "up in" work

  • support the creation of Scottish Strategic Sector Forums

Scottish Conservative Party leader Ruth Davidson makes pledges on jobs and the economy

  • to increase the number of apprenticeships to 10,000

  • to create a network of 10 new Skills Academies

  • reverse the cuts to Further Education colleges

Scottish Liberal Democrat Party leader Willie Rennie makes pledges on jobs and the economy

  • enable businesses to get the skills they need through penny for education policies

  • invest in the modern infrastructure for businesses

Scottish Green Party co-convener Patrick Harvie makes pledges on jobs and the economy

  • 204,000 jobs in clean, green industries

  • introduce the Intermittent Work Scheme giving monthly compensation payments to professional artists comparable to unemployment compensation

  • increase the Minimum Wage to the Living Wage with a target of 拢10 an hour for everyone by 2020

  • link directors' pay to a multiple of their lowest paid employees

  • make the Scottish economy more competitive

  • lower business rates and cut red tape

  • repeal EU regulation and directives that stifle business growth

  • make it easier for SMEs to tender for public sector contracts