More people unemployed in the North

The North’s unemployment rate has gone up, according to figures released by the British government today.

The seasonally adjusted rate was 4.6% for the December-February quarter – up from the 4.2% of the previous quarter and the 4.1% of a year earlier.

It meant there were 37,000 people registered as unemployed, a rise of 4,000 on the quarter and 5,000 on the year.

However, the figures remain below the UK average and were coupled with a marginal rise of 0.2% in the number of people in employment over the same quarter. The total of 767,000 was also 0.6% up on the year.

The number of people claiming unemployment benefit was down 100 on the previous month at 25,700 and down 2,700 over the year.

Enterprise Minister Maria Eagle said: “It is good to see the latest rise in Northern Ireland employment levels and the continuing low levels of unemployment in the region.

“The Northern Ireland unemployment rate has been maintained at a level below the UK average for some 18 months now and this provides an indication of the strengthening labour market here.”

Meanwhile, provisional seasonally adjusted results from the experimental Index of Services (IOS) for the fourth quarter of 2006 estimated that Northern Ireland’s service sector had increased by 4.0% in real terms since the same period a year before.

The figure compared with an estimated increase of 3.5% for the UK as a whole.

The Index of Production for the same period showed the North's manufacturing output remained steady over the quarter and was up by 5.2% over the year. The equivalent UK figures were 0.1% and 2.7%.

Ms Eagle said the positive results recorded in the service sector indicated that the North's economy was continuing to perform well.

The increase in manufacturing output showed the significant potential Northern Ireland had to build a thriving private sector economy, the minister said.

She added: “As we hand back to the new Assembly and local ministers, it is pleasing to note there is a sound basis for economic growth.

“This is a time of tremendous opportunity for Northern Ireland and I wish the new ministers every success with the tasks ahead.”