13/08/10….Unemployment takes a dip – mixed reaction from MP

Figures recently released by the Office for National Statistics for July 2010, show that the Henley constituency (which now stretches from the edge of Bicester to the edge of Reading and includes Thame) has seen a drop of 245 in the number of unemployed claimants since July 2009.

The total number of claimants stood at 749 in July 2010. This represents a rate of 1.6% of the economically active population. This ranks the constituency as 643 out of 650 in the UK with one of the lowest rates of unemployment.

Whilst welcoming the fall, Thame?s Conservative MP, John Howell however, tempered the news, saying: “I of course welcome the news that there has been a drop over the past year in unemployment and that the constituency has one of the lowest unemployment rates in the country. I congratulate all those local businesses which have helped keep unemployment low in what are still very difficult times.

“As these figures are based on claimants it is likely that the real rate is somewhat higher. We should not be complacent or fail to recognise the impact of unemployment on the lives of those who are jobless and their families.

?Let us not forget too that over the period from July 2005 to July 2010 unemployment in this constituency went up by nearly 97%. What is more, there has been a worrying increase in the long term unemployed (unemployed for 12 months or more) which has risen by 65 in the past year.

?Whilst the number of young people (aged 24 and under) unemployed has fallen by 60 over the year from July 2009, the number is still 170% what it was in July 2005.?

NOTE: The figures, which are not seasonally adjusted, have been produced by the House of Commons Library.

The figures are:

Total JSA claimants

July 2005 381

July 2009 994

July 2010 749

Increase July 2005-July 2010 368 (96.6%)

Decrease July 2009-2010 245 (24.6%)

Long term claimants

July 2009 60

July 2010 125

Claimants aged under (24?)2005

July 2005 85

July 2009 230

July 170 170