The North's Economy Minister, Mr Adam Ingram, has described the latest fall in Northern unemployment figures to 7.6 per cent as "very reassuring". The most recent statistics show that 56,000 people are out of work, a fall of 11,000 over the past 12 months.
Other statistics released yesterday show, however, a small increase in the numbers claiming unemployment-related benefits. The seasonally adjusted total for December was also up by 100 to 56,100 on the previous month.