Question to the Scotland Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, what discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions on trends in the level of unemployment in Scotland in the last three years.

I have regular discussions with the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions on a range of matters, including trends in the level of unemployment in Scotland.

The UK Government recognises that this is a challenging time for Scotland. This is why the Chancellor has committed an unprecedented package of support. This includes a range of loan schemes and grants and, in particular, the Job Retention and Self-Employment Support Schemes which have protected the incomes of almost 800,000 people in Scotland – more than a quarter of the workforce. I am delighted that the Job Retention Scheme has now been extended to October.