Welsh unemployment stats encouraging

[Beorn]

Plaid Cymru skills spokesperson Mohammad Asghar AM (Welshizen?) has said that the latest unemployment figures for Wales are an encouraging sign for the Welsh economy. The Labour force survey figures show that the number of people unemployed in Wales stands at 107,000, 1000 fewer than in the previous quarter. Meanwhile the figures for the UK as a whole have risen.

Plaid AM Mohammad Asghar said:
“These latest figures are an encouraging sign of how the Welsh economy is bearing up to the global recession. Of course these figures are likely to fluctuate and could go up, but it is heartening to see that we are moving in the right direction. It is good that we have some positive news at a time when many young people in Wales are graduating from university and entering the world of work.

“Plaid in Government has taken action to combat the recession. Plaid Economy Minister, Ieuan Wyn Jones, has worked closely with business and the trade unions, introducing practical and effective measures to help the people of Wales through this economic downturn. For example the ProAct scheme has helped to prevent almost 5,000 workers from across Wales becoming part of these unemployment statistics.

“I am confident that Ieuan Wyn Jones and the One Wales Government as a whole will not rest on their laurels but will continue to work hard to help the people and communities of Wales weather this economic storm.”

Source

Wow! A thousand person decrease! At least the Welsh have the choice to govern themselves to a degree.

What's the craic over in Walesland, Tref?

[Treffie]

Source

Wow! A thousand person decrease! At least the Welsh have the choice to govern themselves to a degree.

What's the craic over in Walesland, Tref?

I think the unemployment stats are a blip, there were loads of redundancies last year and early this year. As for governance, I wouldn't call it that, we may have free prescriptions, but our schoolkids are the most underfunded in the UK (England is funded +£500 per child each year), our hospital waiting lists are getting longer and now the Assembly has today cancelled two essential projects - the alternative M4 relief road and the Cardiff Airport link road.

[Beorn]

...the alternative M4 relief road and the Cardiff Airport link road.

I remember a few years back a group of Welsh lads I laboured for were talking about that.
That seems to be dragging it's heels a bit. If it is the same job, what was the reason behind it being cancelled? Money, I suppose?

[Treffie]

That seems to be dragging it's heels a bit. If it is the same job, what was the reason behind it being cancelled? Money, I suppose?

Yup, it would cost £1billion for the M4 relief road, if they hadn't had postponed it a few years back, it would have cost around £400m.

[Vulpix]

Official unemployment stats are manipulated anyway.