THERE was only a slight decline in the rate of jobs growth in Scotland last month, figures out today reveal.
The latest labour market "barometer" for May slipped marginally to 53.3 from 53.5 in April, signalling a slower rate of improvement in overall Scottish job market conditions.
But the measure north of the Border was still above the equivalent index
for the UK as a whole, which was 49.6, according to research by the Bank of Scotland.
The latest figures show that, despite the economic slowdown, employment growth in Scotland has been broadly unchanged during the past three months.
Although temporary and contract staff billings dropped slightly and stronger increases in wages and salaries were recorded, growth of permanent staff placements improved.
And demand for staff in Scotland continued to increase at a faster pace than for the UK as a whole.
The barometer is closely watched by both businesses and politicians north and south of the Border as it gives an indication of the impact of the state of the economy on employment.
It is constructed out of a composite of four key measures – demand for staff, employment, availability for work, and pay in the permanent and temporary markets. The latest figures suggest that Scotland may be weathering the economy storms better than the UK as a whole.
Today's results show the UK with a negative figure for the first time since the impact of the credit crunch last summer.
Martin Ellis, the chief economist at Bank of Scotland, commented: "Jobs growth in Scotland remains relatively firm despite a moderating in market conditions since last summer.
"Demand for staff and permanent staff placement growth is steady and is stronger than in other parts of the UK.
"A number of sectors have shown notable resilience, with demand for healthcare professionals especially firm."
The full article contains 310 words and appears in The Scotsman newspaper.
