The number of people out of work in Northern Ireland has fallen to a record low in February and currently stands at 6.3 per cent of the workforce, according to the latest British government statistics.

While 47,000 people are registered as jobless, the number claiming unemployment benefit fell last month to 43,700, a decrease of 600. It is the 12th consecutive fall in the number of people out of work. The Northern Ireland Minister for Enterprise, Mr Adam Ingram, welcomed the news, saying it was the lowest number unemployed and the lowest unemployment rate since the international definition of unemployment, the International Labour Organisation definition, was introduced in 1984.

Long-term unemployment also fell during the period in question and now stands at 22,000.

Mr Ingram said he was confident the local business community would continue to be "resilient, innovative and committed", even if it was facing difficult times ahead. "We must recognise the difficulties currently being experienced in some of our traditional sectors and the effect this will undoubtedly have in the coming months," he added.

The Minister pointed to the growing number of blue-chip investors, such as Fujitsu and Nortel, as evidence of the popularity of Northern Ireland with international companies.