Report exposes education gap

The study found that 27.5 per cent of adults in the Glasgow North East constituency have no qualifications at all - the highest proportion in Britain. It is closely followed by neighbouring Glasgow East at 26.2 per cent.

The UCU report found that 14 out of the top 15 constituencies for low attainment in Scotland are in west and central Scotland. The exception is Edinburgh East, where 14.9 per cent of adults are without qualifications.

Mary Senior of UCU Scotland said: "Access to the benefits that education brings is heavily rationed in Scotland with some constituencies in the west having almost seven times more people without qualifications than others in the east of Scotland."

West Aberdeenshire and Kincardine has the highest level of attainment in Scotland, with just 4.3 per cent of residents holding no qualifications.

UCU ranked the 632 Westminster parliamentary constituencies in England, Scotland and Wales according to the percentage of working-age people who have no qualifications.

Scotland's national rate for people without qualifications is 11.6 per cent, higher than the British average of 10.7 per cent and England's rate of 10.4 per cent.

Ms Senior said: "We live in a fast-changing knowledge economy where education is vital to improving employment chances, life chances and for society.

"It is this knowledge economy that will drive economic growth and enhance social mobility.

"Given the opportunity, everyone can benefit from education."