The latest unemployment statistics have set a new January record for Pembrokeshire. Never before in recent times have there been so few people claiming unemployment benefit in January. A total of 1,373 people or two per cent of the resident working age population were signed on - the fourth lowest rate in Wales and significantly below both the Welsh and UK averages. The figure is 435 fewer than at the same time last year and an unbelievable 6,989 fewer than 20 years ago when about 12 per cent of the county were out of work. Clr. John Allen Mirehouse, Deputy leader of Pembrokeshire County Council, said: "While unemployment throughout the UK is a lot lower than 20 years ago, the comparisons over the last few years show that Pembrokeshire is leading the way when it comes to getting its people into work. "Since January, 2003, the rate of unemployment in Pembrokeshire has halved from four per cent to two per cent, while during the same period, unemployment in the UK has been fairly static reducing from 2.7 per cent to 2.6 per cent. "Wales has fared little better with unemployment falling from 2.9 per cent to 2.5 per cent, with a quarter of that improvement being in Pembrokeshire."
