NI Unemployment Rate Increases By 0.4%

Figures released today for the period December - February 2013 show that the Northern Ireland unemployment rate increased by 0.4 percentage points, over the quarter to 8.4%.

More recent figures for March 2013 show that the number of unemployment benefit claimants increased by 100 over the month.

Output from the Northern Ireland Index of Services for the fourth quarter of 2012 showed that output in NI increased by 0.7% in real terms compared with no change in the UK as a whole. When the most recent four quarters are compared to the previous four quarters the rate of growth was 1.3% in real terms.

Output from the Northern Ireland Index of Production reported a rise of 0.3% from Q3 2012 to Q4 2012, compared to a decrease of 2.1% for the UK as a whole. However, over the latest four quarters, the Northern Ireland production sector output fell by 1.3% compared to the same four quarters one year earlier.

Enterprise Minister Arlene Foster said: "While unemployment is up over the quarter, it is still broadly the same as that reported last month.

"Provisional results from the Index of Services report better news for the economy with an increase of 0.7%, in real terms, in output for Northern Ireland from the previous quarter. This has been driven by increases across three of the main service sectors including Business services and finance, Transport and the Other Services sectors. Service sector output was also up over the year.

"The provisional results from the Index of Production also show improvement, with a rise (0.3%) over the quarter to Q4 2012.

"The latest results indicate some improvements in output though no evidence of a decrease in unemployment. We have to see these changes in the wider context of limited growth in the UK economy and continued recession in the euro area in 2012.

"We can't hope to escape the difficulties in the global economy, but we can continue to lay the foundations of a stronger local economy to take advantage of recovery when it comes.

"Our aim must be to build a business environment that is attractive to both local and inward investors. Businesses can do this through continued investment in innovation, which is a key driver of economic success, and R&D, which can help companies to develop and maintain competitive advantage."

(CD/H)