Dan Byles Cautiously Welcomes Year On Year Fall In Unemployment In Constituency

North Warwickshire Unemployment Figures Show Year On Year Fall

The Member of Parliament for North Warwickshire & Bedworth, former soldier Dan Byles, today cautiously welcomed a year on year fall in unemployment in his North Warwickshire constituency.

The latest figures out this morning from the Office of National Statistics show that unemployment in North Warwickshire is down 4.2% on the year, with the unemployment rate for the constituency standing at just 2.9% compared to a national unemployment rate of 8.4%.

The total number of people claiming jobseekers allowance (JSA) in North Warwickshire has fallen from a recent peak of 2,538 in January 2010 to 1,643 in December 2011. Over the same period, unemployment among 18-24 year olds has fallen from 765 to 490.

Speaking after the figures were released, Dan Byles said:

"These are difficult times for everybody, so I welcome the news that unemployment here in North Warwickshire & Bedworth is down 4.2% on the year. We must not be complacent, but the fact that unemployment locally stands at just 2.9% compared to a national figure of 8.4% is a sign of the strength and diversity of the local economy.

"Just a few years ago, before the last election, unemployment in North Warwickshire & Bedworth was rising at double the national rate. Now it is bucking the trend and falling.

"These figures come on the back of a number of good news stories for the local economy, such as the multi million pound investment in the BMW engine plant at Hams Hall and the new Tesco development in Bedworth - both of which I strongly supported. Interestingly, they also come before a number of large local investments have even started to bear fruit on the jobs front. Thousands of new jobs will be created in the near future as a result of multi-million pound investments at Birch Coppice in Dordon, the MIRA high tech business park on the A5 near Atherstone, and the Loades EcoPark in Bedworth.

"The UK economy is still fragile, and the Eurozone debt crisis poses a big ongoing risk. That's why I will continue to make local jobs a priority, and I will continue to work ceaselessly to attract investment and new manufacturing jobs to North Warwickshire & Bedworth."