Embargoed until: 00.01, 12 December 2015
Employment Support Scotland response on devolved employment services
Employment Support Scotland, the membership body for organisations delivering employment support in Scotland, has today responded to a letter from Roseanna Cunningham, Cabinet Secretary for Fair Work, Skills and Training, to Iain Duncan Smith, Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, on the funding envelope for future devolved employment services.
Commenting on the letter, co-chairs Laurie Russell and Kate Still, said:
‘As the membership body for employment support providers in Scotland we want to see more early intervention with jobseekers, not less. We are therefore disappointed to note that the devolution settlement for employment services is likely to be far lower than anticipated and call upon both the Westminster and Scotland governments to do whatever they can to boost the funding for employment support for the long term unemployed.’
The UK’s government’s Financial Statement of 25 November announced that the current Work Programme and Work Choice, both of which are due to be devolved to Scotland at the end of current contracts, will be replaced by a new Health and Work Programme in England focused on jobseekers with disabilities and health conditions and those out of work for over two years. Responsibility for commissioning successor support in Scotland will be devolved to the Scottish Government, with the Scottish Government receiving a proportionate share of the budget held by the Department for Work and Pensions. The funding envelope is expected to be far lower than was previously anticipated, with subsequent implications for devolved services.
ends
Notes to Editors
1. Employment Support Scotland is the membership body for organisations delivering employment support in Scotland. More information can be found here.
- The Financial Settlement was delivered by the UK Chancellor on 25 November. More information can be found here.
3. For interviews or more information contact Laurie Russell 07771 577986 or