§ Mr. CoxTo ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will make a statement on the employment prospects for the Greater London area. [32124]
§ Mr. Nicholas BrownThe Department does not make forecasts of the future level of employment. However, despite uncertainty about the prospects for the world economy, the UK labour market is still performing well. The number of people in work in London remains at a high level and has increased by 240,000 since 1997, and is up by 75,000 over the last year.
Though unemployment in the capital has increased over the year, this is because the number of people in London's labour force has increased by more than the rise of employment. New vacancies are displayed in London Jobcentres all the time—over a thousand every working day, with many more available through other recruitment channels.
Like other regions, some areas within London have employment rates well below the national average. Initiatives such as Action Teams for Jobs and Employment Zones are supporting areas like these through new and innovative ways of helping jobless people move into work.