Partner Article

More in the market for work in the North East

The number of people in North East England who work or who want to work has gone up - and is closing the gap on the national average. Figures from the annual Labour Market Summary for 2006 show that the percentage of people in some form of work, unemployed, or on a government scheme - otherwise known as the region’s economic activity rate - is at 76%, up from 74.4% in 2004.

The yearly summary is produced by the North East Regional Information Partnership (NERIP), and is used by regional policy-makers to help get a picture of supply and demand in the labour market, and the characteristics of the region’s workforce.

Head of NERIP, Jon Carling, said: “It’s certainly pleasing that the region’s economic activity rate has risen, and that it’s moving closer to the average across the rest of England and Wales. Of course, that has had an effect on the proportion of people who are economically inactive, which decreased in 2006, as has the proportion of working age people who say they don’t want to work - by 28,000 people since 2004.

“Whilst the unemployment rate rose in 2006, this followed the national trend and, as employment rates haven’t decreased, doesn’t mean more people are moving out of work. “Rather, it actually reflects an increase in economic activity as more people stopped claiming incapacity benefit and looking after homes and families, to become willing and able to work.”

The data for the summary came from the Annual Labour Force Survey, the Annual Population Survey and benefits data from the Department for Work and Pensions. Full copies of the report can be found in the ‘Reports and Briefings’ section of www.nerip.com.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Ruth Mitchell .