Unemployment falls across Midlands

Unemployment levels in the Midlands are going down.

Figures for the last three months to March so that in the East Midlands 6,000 fewer people are out of work bringing the the overall level of unemployment to 7.8%. In the West midlands the number of people out of work has dropped by 19,000 to bring down the overall rate to 8.5%.

The fall has been welcomed by the Employment Minister Chris Grayling as a "welcome step in the right direction". But the Shadow Employment minister Liam Byrne said the decrease was due to any "more people having to work part time or as self employed.".

The British Chambers of Commerce chief economist David Kern said that while the figures are encouraging there are still some worrying features.

Youth unemployment remains above the one million mark and a record high number are having to settle for part time jobs. He also called on the government to do more to help the private sector grow and create more job opportunities.

Dave Prentis of the Unison union said "the small fall in unemployment is cold comfort for the millions of people who cannot find work. Every job lost is a personal tragedy and it is still women and young people who are bearing the brunt of the recession."