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13/04/2011
Foster Sees Hope Despite Rising Unemployment
The latest labour market statistics have been released with news that NI had 59,000 registered unemployed people in March - an increase of 100 on the previous month.
This latest monthly increase was the fourth largest in the 12 UK regions.
Over the past year, the jobless total here has risen by 3,300 - an increase of 5.9%. The annual increase in NI is the largest in the UK.
The number of young people on the dole is also rising.
The Labour Force Survey also shows the unemployment rate for 18-24 year olds in NI is 20.3%.
However, the former Enterprise Minister and DUP Fermanagh & South Tyrone Assembly candidate Arlene Foster welcomed the latest release of figures.
The seasonally adjusted unemployment rate was estimated at 7.3% for the period December 2010 - February 2011.
This represented a decrease from the rate of 7.8% recorded in the previous quarter, but an increase from the rate of 6.5% recorded in the previous year.
The latest NI rate was lower than the equivalent UK rate (7.8%) for the same period. It was also below the European Union (9.5%) and Republic of Ireland (13.5%) rates for December 2010.
"Whilst figures released today have shown an increase in the number of people claiming unemployment benefit, the actual figure for the number of people out of work has decreased. The seasonally adjusted unemployment rate fell to 7.3% in the period from December 2010 to February 2011 from a level of 7.8% recorded in the previous year.
"This is good news for Northern Ireland bringing us once again below the UK average unemployment figures.
"This is the clearest evidence yet that we are turning the corner and making progress. Northern Ireland is now once again amongst the lowest of the 12 regions across the UK.
"The EU average currently stands at 9.5%, with the ROI average 13.5%. Comparatively Northern Ireland is performing very well at this tough time," she said.
Unadjusted estimates for December 2010 - February 2011 show that 47.2% of those unemployed in Northern Ireland have been unemployed for one year or more. They also record the unemployment rate for 18-24 year olds at 20.3%.
Meanwhile, the number listed as in 'Economic Inactivity' was the highest in the UK·
The seasonally adjusted number of working age persons that are economically inactive decreased by 8,000 (2.5%) over the quarter and the corresponding working age economic inactivity rate decreased to 28.3% (in December 2010 - February 2011).
However, the NI inactivity rate (28.3%) remained considerably higher than the UK average rate (23.2%) and was the highest of the regions.
Unadjusted estimates can provide information on the reason for economic inactivity.
In December 2010 - February 2011 an estimated 29% of the economically inactive of working age in Northern Ireland were sick/disabled, 28% were students, 24% were looking after the family/home, 12% were retired and 7% were 'other' reason.
On redundancies, and there were 228 confirmed redundancies during the calendar month of March 2011, compared to 97 in February and 249 in March the previous year.
There has been a 47% decrease in the number of confirmed redundancies over the last year to 31st March 2011 - 1,937 compared to 3,686 in the previous year.
(BMcC/GK)
This latest monthly increase was the fourth largest in the 12 UK regions.
Over the past year, the jobless total here has risen by 3,300 - an increase of 5.9%. The annual increase in NI is the largest in the UK.
The number of young people on the dole is also rising.
The Labour Force Survey also shows the unemployment rate for 18-24 year olds in NI is 20.3%.
However, the former Enterprise Minister and DUP Fermanagh & South Tyrone Assembly candidate Arlene Foster welcomed the latest release of figures.
The seasonally adjusted unemployment rate was estimated at 7.3% for the period December 2010 - February 2011.
This represented a decrease from the rate of 7.8% recorded in the previous quarter, but an increase from the rate of 6.5% recorded in the previous year.
The latest NI rate was lower than the equivalent UK rate (7.8%) for the same period. It was also below the European Union (9.5%) and Republic of Ireland (13.5%) rates for December 2010.
"Whilst figures released today have shown an increase in the number of people claiming unemployment benefit, the actual figure for the number of people out of work has decreased. The seasonally adjusted unemployment rate fell to 7.3% in the period from December 2010 to February 2011 from a level of 7.8% recorded in the previous year.
"This is good news for Northern Ireland bringing us once again below the UK average unemployment figures.
"This is the clearest evidence yet that we are turning the corner and making progress. Northern Ireland is now once again amongst the lowest of the 12 regions across the UK.
"The EU average currently stands at 9.5%, with the ROI average 13.5%. Comparatively Northern Ireland is performing very well at this tough time," she said.
Unadjusted estimates for December 2010 - February 2011 show that 47.2% of those unemployed in Northern Ireland have been unemployed for one year or more. They also record the unemployment rate for 18-24 year olds at 20.3%.
Meanwhile, the number listed as in 'Economic Inactivity' was the highest in the UK·
The seasonally adjusted number of working age persons that are economically inactive decreased by 8,000 (2.5%) over the quarter and the corresponding working age economic inactivity rate decreased to 28.3% (in December 2010 - February 2011).
However, the NI inactivity rate (28.3%) remained considerably higher than the UK average rate (23.2%) and was the highest of the regions.
Unadjusted estimates can provide information on the reason for economic inactivity.
In December 2010 - February 2011 an estimated 29% of the economically inactive of working age in Northern Ireland were sick/disabled, 28% were students, 24% were looking after the family/home, 12% were retired and 7% were 'other' reason.
On redundancies, and there were 228 confirmed redundancies during the calendar month of March 2011, compared to 97 in February and 249 in March the previous year.
There has been a 47% decrease in the number of confirmed redundancies over the last year to 31st March 2011 - 1,937 compared to 3,686 in the previous year.
(BMcC/GK)
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