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Zero hours contracts should not be considered a positive destination for school leavers, says councillor

Moray Council education committee will write to Cabinet Secretary for Education and Skills Jenny Gilruth.

Elgin North Labour councillor Sandy Keith
Elgin North Labour councillor Sandy Keith has taken a swipe at the Conservative group for hiking some Elgin parking fees, but opposing a visitor levy for Moray. Image: Jason Hedges/DC Thomson

The Scottish Government will be asked to reconsider their classification of zero hours contracts being positive destinations for school leavers.

It comes after recent figures show that 96.2% of 16 to 18 year olds finishing secondary in Moray are in further or higher education, work or training.

The 2022 figure is an improvement from just over 94% in the previous reporting period.

However Labour councillor Sandy Keith is unhappy “precarious and exploitative” zero hours contracts are considered positive destinations for young people.

‘Precarious and exploitative’

He said: “I believe one in 10 young working Scots are in zero hours contracts.

“I’m questioning why the Scottish Government is categorising these as a positive destination for school leavers.

“There’s no way they can build a stable life while on these.

“I just think it’s wrong, and I hope the Scottish Government will have a rethink.”

He added in 2013 around 46,000 Scots were in zero hours contracts.

‘I just think it’s wrong’

In 2022 that number rose to 94,000.

Members at a recent meeting of the education committee agreed to write to Cabinet Secretary for Education and Skills is Jenny Gilruth.

They are calling for a rethink over zero hours contracts being classified as positive destinations.

Secondary school representative on the committee Susan Slater felt those types of contracts would only be suitable for the minority of school leavers.

She said: “It gives them no stability moving forward.”

Moray Council has no money set aside for flood prevention work in the village.
Moray Council will call for a change to the classification of zero hours contracts as a positive destination for school leavers.

Mrs Slater felt being employed on the contract could stop young people getting support from Skills Development Scotland.

The most recent figures show 36.86% of school leavers went into employment, up from 27.42%.

However the number of young people choosing to go into higher education fell from just over 37% to 31.36%.

Those entering further education also fell from 26.62% to 24.4%.

Labour’s deputy leader Angela Rayner has pledged to outlaw zero hours contracts if they win the next general election.

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