CENTRAL Devon MP Mel Stride has welcomed figures released last week that show employment has increased by 102,000 during the past three months.

The records reached a new record high of 32.21-million. The unemployment rate remains at 4.3% - the lowest since 1975 with unemployment in the Central Devon constituency falling by 50% since 2010.

Mr Stride said: ‘These are a really positive set of employment figures showing that the UK economy remains strong and resilient. Our employment rate is now the highest since records began in 1971, full-time employment is also at a record high and youth unemployment is now 40% lower than it was in 2010.

‘It is especially good news to see long-term unemployment fall by 24,000 in the last year and the number of current job vacancies – 810,000 – is the highest in 17 years. This shows that businesses are continuing to grow and take on new staff and the high demand for labour should help drive up wages.’

The figures also showed female employment at a record high of 70.8% and unemployment in the South West to be lower than the national average.