Date: 30 Jun 2006

Public service jobs deliver services and drive economy - UNISON responds to Executive comments

UNISON - Scotland's public service union - today welcomed the slight increase in public service jobs as a step towards delivering better services for the people of Scotland.

The union also pointed out that recent research showed that the public sector was an important driver of the Scottish economy, rather than the drain that the CBI and other business commentators claim.

Dave Watson, UNISON's Scottish Organiser (Policy) said "As the Minister says, these extra jobs have helped to deliver new services in Scotland. These are important steps towards revitalising our public services. However, there are still many areas of public services - like social work, nursing, other healthcare services and indeed many vital background services - where recruitment remains a problem and we need to address the best way of filling those jobs, so we can continue to improve the delivery of services. These are views that we will be putting forward into Mr McCabe's discussion."

UNISON has long been clear that the public sector is an important driver of the Scottish economy, and recently commissioned independent research* to investigate the evidence. It found that not only was there little or no evidence to back the 'crowding-out' theory, on the contrary the public sector had a key role to play in promoting many aspects of economic growth.

Dave Watson said "The public sector provides roads, healthcare, education and training, a legal framework and much other infrastructure without which the private sector would be less efficient. It also spends money in the private sector both through procurement and via its workforce, and directly funds valuable research and development. Both UNISON and the Minister agree on growing our economy. The evidence is that this is helped to grow by public sector investment and the services that our members provide."

ENDS

Note for Editors:- *the report - Adding Value, Public sector spending and Scotland's economic development - is available on the UNISONScotland website at www.unison-scotland.org.uk/addingvalue.html

For Further Information Please Contact: Dave Watson (Scottish Organiser - Policy) 07958 122 409(m) Chris Bartter (Communications Officer) 0771 558 3729(m)

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