Progress on unemployment

I welcome the news that, between June and August, the number of people unemployed in the UK fell by 50,000.

This shows that the Government is delivering on its promise to get Britain working. When the Coalition took office in May 2010 the percentage of 16-64 year olds in employment stood at 70.7%, that figure has now increased to 71.3%. This increase means that the number of people aged between 16 and 64 in work in the UK is now the highest since records began in 1979.

Whilst there are still too many people without a job, it is encouraging to note that the number of unfilled vacancies has also been steadily rising in recent months; there are now 476,000 vacancies recorded across the UK. As jobs are being taken by jobseekers, further jobs are being created by employers.

These promising national trends have been reflected in Cornwall, with unemployment falling in Truro and Falmouth compared to this time last year. Crucially youth employment has fallen significantly, with the number of unemployed 16-24 year olds in Truro and Falmouth falling from 455 in September 2011 to 405 in September 2012.

Whilst these are steps in the right direction, there is still no room for complacency. I will continue to do all I can to support local employers as they continue to create the jobs that will secure the economic recovery that we need.