§ 33. Simon HughesTo ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the recent 12-month rise in the claimant measure of unemployment in London. [60372]
§ Ruth KellyDespite rising over the past 12 months, claimant count unemployment in London has fallen by nearly 120,000 (42 per cent.) since spring 1997 and, as for the UK as a whole, remains close to the lowest levels since the 1970s. Moreover, with employment continuing454W to rise, increasing by 12,000 over the past year, the London labour market is stable and performing well by historical standards.
The Government's new deal programmes have eased the transition from welfare to work for over 124,000 people in London and the south-east who have moved into sustainable jobs.