CENTRAL Devon MP Mel Stride has welcomed figures released on Wednesday, March 15, that show unemployment in the UK has fallen to its lowest level since 2005 and youth unemployment at its lowest ever level.

Employment continues to run at a record high of 74.6 per cent with 31.85 million people in work.

Welcoming the figures, Mr Stride said: “This is another very good overall set of job figures, with some hugely encouraging specific indicators within them.

"Long-term unemployment is now lower than pre-recession 2008 levels, the number of 16-24 year-olds who have left full-time education and are unemployed is 5.1 per cent - a record low - and average weekly wages continue to grow well above inflation.

"The Government deserves a lot of credit for continuing to make the recovery of our economy and incentivising work two of its top priorities.

"Without a strong economy we cannot pay for the public services we all rely on.”

The figures released by Office for National Statistics also showed the proportion of women in work is at a near-record high of 69.8 per cent and overall UK unemployment now standing at 1.58 million; down 106,000 during the past year and down 925,000 since 2010.

Within Mr Stride’s Central Devon constituency unemployment is down by 56 per cent since 2010.

Alan Quick