SNP MSP for Glasgow Anne McLaughlin today welcomed the news that Scotland will receive £34 million to safeguard and create new jobs. The European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) cash will held create 193 new jobs and help 28 000 people to gain or sustain employment opportunities through skills development. Glasgow will see a £2.8 million share of the money.

Speaking from a National Job Summit in Glasgow, First Minister Alex Salmond says: "The Scottish Government is doing all we can to ensure a strong economic recovery and to secure and safeguard jobs. We are using all our economic levers to support individuals, businesses, and communities through the downturn and towards sustainable economic growth."

Anne McLaughlin MSP welcomed the news that the people of Glasgow are getting a substantial share of the fund, to help combat what she believes to be the biggest issue in the City. She said: "Unemployment is about so much more than a loss of income although the effects of that can be disastrous on people.

"It's also about losing your place in society and the damage to your self esteem. It's little wonder many people who lose their jobs end up suffering from depression and therefore I am very glad that the SNP takes seriously its responsibility to create and protect people's jobs. This money will ensure many people who could otherwise have spiralled into depression and long term unemployment have another chance."

Notes:

The funding will be used to assist Community Planning Partnerships (CPPS) ongoing work to support employability in their areas. The 11 CPPs which applied for the latest funding, as well as CPPs in Clackmannanshire and Edinburgh, have already received a share of over £50 million from the 2007-13 European Structural Funds programme.

The new allocations are:

• Dundee - £1.6 million from the European Social Fund;
• East Ayrshire - £1.4 million from the European Social Fund, £153,000 from the European Regional Development Fund;
  
• Fife - £1.7 million from the European Social Fund, £47,000 from the European Regional Development Fund;
  
• Glasgow - £2.8 million from the European Social Fund;
  
• Inverclyde - £634,000 from the European Social Fund, £88,000 from the European Regional Development Fund;
  
• North Ayrshire - £366,000 from the European Social Fund, £148,272 from the European Regional Development Fund;
  
• North Lanarkshire - £2.1 million from the European Social Fund, £1.3 million from the European Regional Development Fund;
  
• Renfrewshire - £901,000 from the European Social Fund, £234,000 from the European Regional Development Fund;
  
• South Lanarkshire - £1.2 million from the European Social Fund, £258,000 from the European Regional Development Fund;
  
• West Dunbartonshire - £444,000 from the European Social Fund;
  
• West Lothian - £580,000 from the European Social Fund, £48,000 from the European Regional Development Fund
  

The allocations of European funding for projects in the Highlands and Islands are:

• Argyll & Bute - £200,000 from the European Regional Development Fund
  
• Highland - £1,280,000 from the European Social Fund and £2,441,000 European Regional Development Fund
  
• Moray - £287,000 from the European Social Fund and £53,000 European Regional Development Fund
  
• Orkney - £3.7 million from the European Social Fund and £176,000 European Regional Development Fund
  
• Shetland £2.7 million from the European Social Fund
  
• Eilean Siar (Western Isles) - £3.7 million from the European Social Fund and £1.1 million European Regional Development Fund