CENTRAL Devon MP Mel Stride has welcomed figures that young people claiming Job Seekers Allowance has dropped.

6,200 young people in the South West have moved off benefits in the last year, and are either receiving a regular pay packet, learning a profession or getting the training they need to forge a career, the figure represent a 25% drop in the number of young people claiming JSA between December 2012 and December 2013.

Mr Stride said: 'The number of young people across the country claiming JSA has now fallen for 19 consecutive months and is down 114,300 since the 2010 general election.

'Of course, there is still more to do, but these figures show the Government's long-term economic plan is working and is delivering a more secure future for young people in the South West who want to work hard and get on in life.'