Kirsty Williams comments on huge rise in unemployment figures

1.55.24pm UTC (GMT +0000) Fri 15th Dec 2006

Welsh Liberal Democrat Enterprise, Innovation and Networks spokesperson, Kirsty Williams, has expressed her concern at increasing unemployment in Wales.

Figures out today show the number of unemployed people in Wales has increased by over 16 per cent in the last year, while the number of those who remain unemployed long-term has risen by nearly 20 per cent.

Ms Williams said: "Another day, another set of discouraging economic statistics - it would be easy to become blasé about it if it wasn't such a serious issue - these are people's jobs we're talking about, people's futures, people's lives.

"Our GVA per head has been the lowest amongst the devolved countries and English regions since 1998. The Labour Assembly Government have published plenty of economic strategies and action plans since then, and spent plenty of taxpayers money encouraging this and promoting that, but they have failed to make any headway at all on any of these key indicators. A new vision for Wales is urgently needed."

Notes:

· The Statistical Directorate of the National Assembly for Wales published Economic Statistics Monthly - December 2006 today. Key figures include: ILO unemployment August-October 2006 was 75,000, up 11,000 (16.4%) on the same period a year earlier; 5.3% of the economically active were unemployed, up from 4.6%; for the year ending in September 2006 16,000 people were long-term ILO unemployed (12 months or more), a rise of 19.3% over the figure a year earlier.

· The Office of National Statistics published regional Gross Value Added (GVA) estimates for 2005 today. It showed GVA per head in Wales in 2005 was 78.1% of the UK average.