Employment at 'near record' levels
Wednesday, 15 August 2007 12:00 AM
Employment has reached near record levels, while the number of people claiming the main out of work benefits continues to fall, the government claimed today.
The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) reported 29.97 million people are actively in employment after an annual rise of 144,000.
This represents one of the highest-ever figures and contributes to a "very strong set of figures", employment minister Caroline Flint said.
The DWP said the number of people claiming the main out of work benefits has fallen by more than a million since Labour took power in 1997.
However, the Conservatives accused the government of continuing to ignore "hidden unemployment", which they claim stands at over four million.
Official figures show the number of people claiming Jobseeker's Allowance fell by nearly 100,000 over the past year to stand at 55,300.
ILO unemployment has fallen by 29,000 over the past year while the number of vacancies continues to rise, currently standing at 61,800.
The number of people off work and claiming incapacity benefit is now at its lowest level in seven years and the number on lone parent benefits has fallen by 6,000 to 771,000.
Ms Flint said: "This is a very strong set of figures: the total number on the main out of work benefits - Jobseeker's Allowance, Incapacity Benefits and lone parent benefits - has fallen by over one million since 1997. Employment is at near record levels and unemployment is down again.
"But we are determined to do more. That's why our green paper sets out our plans for helping those who have yet to take up opportunities in the labour market. This is central to our strategy for achieving 80 per cent employment in this generation and eradicating child poverty."
Shadow chief secretary to the Treasury, Philip Hammond, argued Ms Flint's optimistic interpretation ignored the large number of people out of work.
Mr Hammond said: "For all Gordon Brown's boasts of economic success, there is still a huge amount of talent and potential in Britain going to waste.
"When you read the small print, the true figure for 'hidden unemployment' in the UK is about four million and there are 176,000 more young people not in work, education or training than in 1997."
Tony Blair made welfare into work one of the key policies of his brief third term. Everyone who can work must "fulfil their responsibilities to do so," he said at the time.
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