Some men at work in Norwich – © The Eye Snapper

Norwich Conservatives have welcomed the news that employment across the UK continues to run at a record high, the unemployment rate has fallen to an 11-year low, and that according to today’s figures there are 297,000 more people back in work in the East of England since 2010.

In Norwich South, the number of people claiming the key out of work benefits has fallen by 1,604, while in Norwich North it has fallen by 1,208 – a 60% per cent drop – since 2010.
The Conservatives also claim that today’s figures show that wages are continuing to rise strongly. Youth unemployment is down by almost 350,000 since 2010, the number of disabled people in work has increased by 590,000 in the past three years, and the proportion of women in work is at a joint record high. Over 70 per cent of the rise in employment since 2010 has been from full time work.

Conservative Spokesperson for Norwich South Andrew Wiltshire said:

“Today sees another set of strong figures, with employment continuing to run at a record high and unemployment falling to a 11-year low.

“The number of people in Norwich relying on the key out of work benefits has fallen by nearly 3,000 since 2010 – a 60% drop. Growth is being fuelled by full-time professional jobs while wages are continuing to grow strongly, which underlines the resilience of the UK labour market.

“The measures the Government have taken have put our economy in a position of strength, and we will work to ensure more people can benefit from these opportunities as we build a country that works for everyone”.

Unsurprisingly Labour’s spokesperson took a different view: Debbie Abrahams MP, Labour’s Shadow Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, commenting on today’s ONS UK Labour Market Statistics, said:

“While increases in employment are welcome, today’s ONS figures demonstrate that this Tory government is failing to build an economy for the whole country.

“With high regional unemployment rates, significant employment gaps for disabled people and people from an ethnic minority, and rising claimant figures, there is a real risk to the economic security of British people under this failing Tory Government. Only yesterday we heard that there are now over 7 million people working in insecure jobs.

“The country deserves better; the Government has no answers and no plan for the UK economy. Only a Labour Government will stand up for working people and build a fairer economy that works for all.”
On 16 November 2016, the Office for National Statistics published labour market statistics for the three months to September 2016 and the Claimant Count (Jobseeker’s Allowance and Universal Credit, not in work) figures for October 2016 (ONS, Labour Market Statistics, 14 September 2016).

A lot more information and numerous graphs can be found here: https://www.ons.gov.uk/employmentandlabourmarket/peoplenotinwork/unemployment