WYRE Forest MP Mark Garnier has welcomed news that unemployment in the area is still at historic lows and continues to benefit from long-term Conservative planning.

Figures released yesterday (November 11) by the Office for National Statistics show during October Wyre Forest remained below the national average for the number of people claiming Job Seeker’s Allowance, while also moving slightly above the record low for the area.

Just 1.6 per cent of 16 to 64-year-olds in Wyre Forest are claiming the allowance. Statistics show unemployment has rapidly fallen by 45 per cent since 2012.

In October, unemployment in the rest of the West Midlands has held steady, at 3.1 per cent, a much higher figure than in Wyre Forest.

Mark Garnier said: “I am delighted with these new statistics and how well we are doing to tackle unemployment across Wyre Forest, as well as nationally.

“These new figures re-enforce the notion our policies are working.

“Our youth unemployment rates are particularly impressive – Wyre Forest has the lowest rate of youth unemployment across all of Worcestershire and well below the West Midlands average.”