PRESS RELEASE
February 5th, 2009
New budget will bring 100 new apprentices to Inverclyde, says MSP
Greenock and Inverclyde MSP Duncan McNeil has hailed Scotland’s new budget as a boost for workers.
The Scottish Parliament last night approved plans to create an extra 7,800 apprenticeships in year 2009/2010.
The new revised budget will include:
Despite the furore caused last week by the failure of the initial budget to get through Parliament, Mr McNeil insisted he was pleased that extra time was taken to get the right deal for the Scottish people.
He said: “In these difficult times, it is important that this budget was geared towards helping people either stay in a job or get back to work and largely we have achieved that.
“Even I am sure many people would have been put off by the scenes in Parliament that saw last week’s budget collapse.
“But a week later we have a deal that could see an extra 100 young people in Inverclyde given the opportunity to learn a trade at a time when jobs are difficult to come by.
“I am sure most people will agree this – and the other additions to the budget - were worth holding out for and I believe our position last week has been vindicated.
“The guarantee for fourth-year apprentices whose jobs are under threat is something I take great satisfaction from having personally pushed for these measures.
“Inverclyde knows only too well the impact that recession and youth unemployment can have given our experiences in 1980s and I am glad we have taken steps this week to avoid repeating those mistakes.”