Employment: New Jobs

Debate between Lord Freud and Baroness Neville-Rolfe

Monday 27th January 2014 Lords Chamber

[Lord Freud]

The figures I have are the actual figures: the number of youth claimants is down, by 105,000 in the year, to 315,000.

[Baroness Neville-Rolfe (Con)]

My Lords, the figures on unemployment, especially what the Minister has said about young people, are very good. Will my noble friend comment on the regional spread of the new jobs and on which industries and sectors are benefiting from this good news?

[Lord Freud]

I am pleased to say that the regional position is pretty balanced. During this quarter, employment rose in virtually every UK region, with one exception. The north of England and the Midlands are doing particularly well. If one looks at the balance between the north and the south, since the election there have been 360,000 extra private sector jobs in the north—to take those four regions together—and 420,000 in London and the south-east.