NI's Dole Queue Shortening

Last year's steady rise in unemployment across NI looks like slowing.

Figures released today - for the period September to November 2009 - recorded a slight decrease in the Northern Ireland unemployment rate to 6.8%.

This is in comparison to the period June – August 2009 when the unemployment rate was 7.1%.

Figures for December 2009 recorded an increase of 500 in the number of unemployed claimants.

The official data showed this increase was larger than the previous monthly increase of 200, but was smaller than the average monthly increase of 1,500 during 2009.

Meanwhile, output from the Northern Ireland service sector fell during the third quarter of 2009 (-0.3%), while production sector output reported a slight increase (0.3%).

Commenting on the figures, Stormont First Minister and NI Enterprise Minister, Arlene Foster said: "It is encouraging to see that the increase in the unemployment rate has slowed in recent months and that the Northern Ireland rate (6.8%) has remained below the UK average (7.8%).

"However, more recent figures for December 2009 show a rise of 500 in the number of people claiming unemployment benefits.

"While this increase is disappointing, the growth in claimants last month is below the average monthly increase of over 2,000 recorded during the first six months of the year," she said today.

She also commented on the latest economic output results for Quarter three, and said that 2009 figures show that output from production and service sectors has remained relatively flat when compared to the previous quarter.

"These estimates represent an improvement on the large falls recorded during the height of the recession, but they also highlight the continued difficulties that sectors such as engineering and allied industries and business services and finance are facing.

"The economic recovery will be a gradual process and it may be some time before we see growth recorded across all sectors," she explained.

She said that Northern Ireland must be well positioned to take advantage of the opportunities that arise as we move out of recession.

"I studied with interest the responses received in relation to the Independent Review of Economic Policy consultation.

"I will be making a statement to the Assembly next week outlining how I intend to respond to the recommendations of the Independent Panel's report," she concluded.

Also commenting on today's Government Labour Market Survey, Neal Lucas, Managing Director of one of Northern Ireland's executive search and selection companies Neal Lucas Recruitment said:"While it is disappointing to see a rise of 500 people seeking unemployment benefit last month to a new level of 54,500, we are beginning to see a definite slowing in the rate.

"Over the last four months the unemployment has hovered close to the 54,000 mark, compare that with this time last year when the figure was 35,900."

See: www.detini.gov.uk/deti-stats-index/stats-labour-market.htm

(BMcc/GK)