Half of new jobs in health and construction

The number of people employed grew by more than 83,000 or 4.2% in the year to the third quarter of 2006, according to the latest Quarterly National Household Survey.

The increase brings the total in employment to 2,073,300. This compares with an annual growth rate of 4.6% in the previous quarter and to a rate of 5.1% in the third quarter of 2005.