Mr. Barry JuriesTo ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make a statement on youth unemployment in(a) Wales, (b) Flintshire and (c) Deeside. [124424]
§ Mr. Paul MurphyYouth unemployment in Wales, specifically North East Wales, has been declining since the General Election. Between April 1997 and April 2000 youth unemployment for Wales as a whole declined by 32.5 per cent., while in Flintshire youth unemployment declined by 23 per cent. over this period. Statistics are not collated on an area basis for Deeside, but for the unitary authority of Alyn and Deeside, youth unemployment declined by 16 per cent. between April 1997 and April 2000.