12/11/2009

Robin Walker, Parliamentary Candidate for Worcester has said that there is no room for complacency in dealing with unemployment as the latest figures showed a small fall in jobless numbers. He welcomed the progress but pointed out that unemployment in Worcester is now higher than the national average, over 75% higher than it was one year ago and almost 30% more than when Labour came to power.

At the same time national figures showed that the problems of unemployment are particularly bad for people between the ages of 18 and 24, with almost one in every five or a million young people not in work or education. Despite worthy rhetoric from the government there is no sign that their various schemes are working.

Robin called for more measures to help young people find work, more apprenticeships, better support for people on disability benefits to find work and help for businesses that create jobs.

Robin said

"Every job that can be created here in Worcester should be welcomed and it is a relief that the claimant count has now fallen three months running. However, I am very worried about what has happened to relative unemployment under Labour. When they came to power in 1997 Worcester had much lower unemployment than the national average. After twelve years of Labour, ours is higher. In October's numbers there are 1,000 more people claiming unemployment benefit than a year ago and almost a third higher than when Labour took power."

"There are three people on jobseekers allowance for every vacancy in Worcester and, with national figures showing almost one in five young people out of work, there is a real concern that Labour is creating a lost generation. They promised to abolish boom and bust and boasted about creating low unemployment but the reality on the ground is quite different."

"We need a fresh start with incentives for businesses to provide jobs, more help for young people to get work or training and a real focus on getting Britain working. Labour have shown they cannot provide this. I want to make sure Conservatives can and do."

Notes to Editors

The latest claimant count shows 2,541 people on jobseekers allowance in October 2009 compared with 1,438 in October 2008 or 1,960 when Labour took power in May 1997. This represents an increase of 77% in one year or 29.6% since May 1997.

There are currently 729 vacancies advertised in Worcester, representing one for every three people claiming jobseekers allowance.

In May 1997 the rate of unemployment in Worcester was 3.3% compared to a national rate of 4.5%. In October 2009 it is 4.3% in Worcester compared to a national average of 4.2%

The Conservative Party has launched a national campaign entitled "Get Britain Working" which includes simplifying Labour's numerous and piecemeal programmes into one single back-to-work programme for everyone on out of work benefits.

• The Work Programme will include support back into work for the 2.6 million people claiming Incapacity Benefits currently excluded by Labour.
• It offers greater support to the young unemployed by referring them on to the Work Programme after 6 months of unemployment compared to a year under the Flexible New Deal.
• It will pay providers by results with a focus on truly sustainable outcomes and bigger rewards for getting the hardest to help into a job.

And they have also announced plans for:

• 50,000 work pairing places, on average, each year for young people, who will be assigned to sole traders for six months of meaningful work experience and mentoring.
• 100,000 additional apprenticeships and training places each year.
• 50,000 additional training places at FE colleges each year.
• Expansion of the government's Young Apprenticeship (YA) scheme, from the current 10,000 to over 30,000 each year.