The following is an unedited transcript of the news release from the UK National Statistics.


This month''s figures show an increase in both the number of people in employment and the employment rate. The number of unemployed people, the unemployment rate and the claimant count have all fallen. The inactivity rate and the number of inactive people of working age have both fallen. The number of vacancies has increased. Growth in average earnings excluding bonuses has increased but earnings growth including bonuses has fallen.

In the latest reference period; the working age employment rate was 74.9 per cent, up 0.2 percentage points on the previous quarter. The number of people in employment increased by 152,000 over the quarter.

The unemployment rate was 5.2 per cent, down 0.1 percentage point from the previous quarter. The number of unemployed people fell by 39,000 over the quarter.

The claimant count was 794,300, down 1,200 from the previous month. The number of vacancies was 687,600, up 12,000 from the previous quarter. The AEI - including bonuses – was 3.7 per cent, down 0.2 percentage points from the previous month. The AEI - excluding bonuses – was 3.8 per cent, up 0.1 percentage point from the previous month.

Employment

The working age employment rate was 74.9 per cent in the three months to February 2008, up 0.2 percentage points from the three months to November 2007 and up 0.6 percentage points from a year earlier. The employment level was 29.51 million in the three months to February 2008, up 152,000 from the three months to November 2007 and up 456,000 on a year earlier.

The number of people in full-time employment was 21.95 million in the three months to February 2008, up 99,000 from the three months to November 2007. Of this total, 14.11 million were men, up 30,000 over the quarter, and 7.84 million were women, up 69,000 over the quarter.

The number of people in part-time employment was 7.55 million in the three months to February 2008, up 54,000 from the three months to November 2007. Of this total, 1.81 million were men and 5.74 million were women. The number of people in public sector employment was 5.78 million in December 2007, up 7,000 from September 2007. The number of people in private sector employment was 23.68 million, up 159,000 from September 2007.

Jobs

There were 31.62 million workforce jobs in December 2007, up 13,000 over the quarter and up 208,000 on a year earlier. Most sectors showed increases in jobs over the year. The sector showing the largest annual increase in jobs was Finance & Business Services, which increased by 149,000.

Hours

Total hours worked per week were 939.6 million in the three months to February 2008, up 0.1 million from the three months to November 2007. Average weekly hours worked in the three months to February 2008 were 31.9, down 0.2 from the three months to November 2007.

Unemployment

The unemployment rate was 5.2 per cent in the three months to February 2008, down 0.1 percentage point from the three months to November 2007 and down 0.4 percentage points from a year earlier. The unemployment level was 1.61 million in the three months to February 2008, down 39,000 from the three months to November 2007 and down 90,000 from a year earlier.

The number of unemployed men was 930,000 in the three months to February 2008, down 9,000 from the three months to November 2007. The number of unemployed women was 680,000 in the three months to February 2008, down 30,000 from the three months to November 2007.

The number of people unemployed for over 12 months was 389,000 in the three months to February 2008, down 1,000 from the three months to November 2007.

Unemployment for 18 to 24 year olds was 501,000 in the three months to February 2008, down 15,000 from the three months to November 2007.

Claimant count