16/04/2014

Enterprise Minister Welcomes Employment Figures

The number of people claiming unemployment benefits has fallen by 7,500 over the last 12 months, according to new figures from Office for National Statistics.

The figures also show that in the previous month the number of claimants fell by 700.

Commenting on the figures Enterprise Minister Arlene Foster said: "It is encouraging that the number of unemployment benefit claimants continues to fall and has done so in each of the last 14 months. This is the most sustained fall in unemployment claimants since June 1995.

"The rate of unemployment in Northern Ireland (7.7%) is above that of the UK (6.9%) but compares favourably to the rates in the European Union (10.8%) and the Republic of Ireland (11.9%)."

The full National Statistics figures can be read here.

(MH)

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