Thursday 14 August 2014

New improved North East employment figures - The Journal. NECC & more praise the good news

New unemployment figures were released this week - with unemployment continuing to fall in my constituency every single month in 2014, and down substantially on last year. But don't just listen to me, this is the independent North East Chamber of Commerce's reaction to the figures:

NECC Policy and Research Manager, Mark Stephenson, said: “Once again the North East has provided a record-breaking set of figures with more people in full time employment than ever before. A welcome addition to this is the decrease in the employment rate – one of the biggest two decreases in the UK – and an across-the-board decrease in unemployment."

“The improvement in the North East employment rate remains one of the more eye-catching statistics from across the UK and has been deemed “statistically significant” by the Office for National Statistics. The decrease in the claimant count figure is again welcome and continues a longer-term trend. This figure is now at its lowest since September 2008 before the financial crisis and the economic downturn."

“However, the North East still has the lowest overall employment rate as well as the highest unemployment rate in the UK which highlights the significant challenges that remain.”

The Facts: 
  • North East Employment now stands at 1,191,000 – a rise of 15,000 over the quarter and 64,000 over the year. 
  • · North East Unemployment is now 126,000 – a fall of 10,000 over the quarter, and 6,000 over the year.