North East LEP reaction to ONS regional labour market statistics

The North East Local Enterprise Partnership’s Chief Executive, Helen Golightly OBE, has commented on today’s regional labour market statistics, released by the Office for National Statistics (ONS).

The release includes quarterly data for the North East statistical region for the three month period February to April 2023. The region includes the North East LEP area and Tees Valley.

Helen Golightly OBE, Chief Executive of the North East Local Enterprise Partnership (North East LEP), said: “Today’s figures show that, in the latest quarter, the North East region’s unemployment rate was below the English average for the first time since comparable data started being collected over 30 years ago.

“There are over 50,000 more people in work in the region than a year ago and the unemployment rate for women in the North East was the lowest of all nine English regions. Over the past 12 months, we’ve seen the biggest increase of any region in our overall employment rate and the biggest falls in unemployment and economic inactivity rates.

“But, the progress that these statistics represent is not yet shared throughout all workers – the North East’s male employment rate was the lowest among the regions, for example.

“There’s also lots we don’t know yet, including whether high national levels of long term ill health are mirrored in the region or how much of the fall in unemployment is driven by underemployment and part time work when people would rather be working full time.

“At the North East LEP, we’re focused not just on jobs, but on more and better jobs so we’ll be keeping a watchful eye over the next few months to make sure this positive news translates into well-paid, productive jobs in the key sectors which will unlock long-term economic growth for the North East.”

Further labour market analysis can be found on the North East Evidence Hub (www.evidencehub.northeastlep.co.uk).