Finally, there is something the Scottish Nationalist Party (SNP) and Labour can agree on – the appointment of a youth minister to tackle the rising problem of youth unemployment and Neets.  The Scottish Firs Minister Alex Salmond has announced that proposals to create a new cabinet level youth minister in the Scottish Government would be presented to his cabinet next week.

The Scottish Labour leader Iain Gray welcomed the move but did not fail to point out that it was his party that was calling for creating a position of a youth minister in Scotland.  Like the rest of the UK, Scotland is facing a growing problem of youth unemployment which currently stands slightly higher at 23.1% compared to 23% UK average.

Speaking to the MSPs during First Minister’s Questions, Mr. Salmond said that youth unemployment is a “national crisis” especially as 100,000 Scottish young people between the ages of 16-24 are out of a job.

"At next Tuesday's cabinet a proposal will be brought forward to appoint a minister for youth employment," he said. "That will be brought to this chamber as quickly as possible, probably next Wednesday."

According to the First Minister, the youth minister would have a budget of £30 Million to tackle the problem and would proactively engage with local authorities and other stakeholders  to develop and deliver necessary proposals to tackle the crisis.

This announcement comes following a recent report published by the Smith Group which called for creation of a new youth minister position in the Scottish Government cabinet.  "We recommend that the issue is of such significance that it should be tackled through a dedicated ministerial portfolio, rather than an 'add-on' to a wider brief,” the report said.  “This would provide the appropriate level of accountability for a national priority."

The Scottish Labour Leader Iain Gray also  acknowledged it is a “national crisis” but did not miss the opportunity to make a political attack on the First Minister.  "Alex Salmond seems finally to get the point the SNP government have not done enough to tackle youth unemployment,” he said.

But he did welcome the SNP administration in Holyrood following Labour advice to appoint a youth minister.  “This is a national crisis - a crisis for Scotland - because of the profound threat it poses to the future prosperity, future equality and future fairness of our society," Mr. Gray added.