FIGURES released last week revealing the South West is leading the way in the increase of employment have been welcomed by North Cornwall’s MP.

The employment figures from the Office of National Statistics show from August to October 2015, 73.9% of people aged from 16 to 64 were in work in the UK, up 0.4 percentage points from May to July 2015 and up 1.0 from a year earlier.

The UK employment rate, for the three months ending in October 2015, was highest in the South West at 78.1%. The South West saw an increase of 39,000. This was the largest increase in the UK workforce.

Conservative Scott Mann said he welcomed the ‘record employment figures and decrease in North Cornwall unemployment’.

He said: “These figures are testament to this Government’s Economic Plan. We’re implementing the right fiscal policies, which create more jobs and get more people into work — 39,000 more people in work means greater financial security for 39,000 families.”

Latest figures from the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) also revealed that Jobseekers Allowance claimants numbered 550 in North Cornwall, down by 75 since November 2015 and down by 571 (51%) since November 2010.

Mr Mann added: “The growth in our economy is being felt everywhere, and that includes North Cornwall. Since 2010, there are 571 less people on Jobseekers Allowance, which means 571 less people out of work. We’ve got more small businesses opening up, such as food and drink producers, and shops and tourism businesses.

“And we’re not stopping here. We pledged to create two million jobs in 2010, and we’re pledging another two million jobs by 2020, as well as three million new apprenticeships.”