SDLP Foyle MLA Sinead McLaughlin
But with other areas showing much larger increases in job creation, she called for new interventions, including more childcare provision, to bring down unemployment in the North West.
McLaughlin said: “The latest unemployment figures are good news, but not as good as they could be. While there has been a 0.4% reduction in claimant count unemployment in Derry and Strabane, this compares to a fall of 5.8% in Mid Ulster.
“This difference illustrates the uneven nature of the economic recovery. However, careful study of the figures shows other really important messages. While the employment rate is increasing in Britain, it has fallen in the North of Ireland.
“This proves we need to do more to tackle the reasons why people are unable to participate in the employment market.
“There are two obvious reasons for this. One is the lack of affordable childcare, which previous studies have shown is a particular problem in and around Derry and is generally less available in the North of Ireland than in GB.
“This prevents many women, in particular, from working.
“The second key factor is the much higher percentage of people here who are unable to work because of illness or disability.
“We already know that while all of the UK’s NHS is struggling with the pandemic, our health service in the North of Ireland was already in crisis prior to Covid.
“Our health service needs to be reformed and quickly because too many patients are waiting too long. But these latest statistics demonstrate our economy is also suffering.
“While health reform takes time, it is important to make an early start. It is essential, as well, that there is much greater attention to increasing the supply of affordable childcare in the Derry and Strabane area.”
Claimant count unemployment in the Derry and Strabane area now stands at 5.8%, a fall of 0.4% in the last month.
It still has the highest rate in the North, where the average is 3.9%.
There were more than 11,500 extra jobs in the Derry City and Strabane council area in 2020 than in 2013, showing the general trend is positive.
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