Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Neil O'Brien and John Penrose

Wednesday 22nd May 2019 Commons Chamber

[Neil O’Brien (Harborough) (Con)]

3. What recent assessment she has made of trends in the level of employment in Northern Ireland.

[The Minister of State, Northern Ireland Office (John Penrose)]

I am happy to confirm that the latest labour market statistics for Northern Ireland show employment at a record high and unemployment at a record low. This is a long-term and consistently improving trend, and with continued political stability, we hope that it will continue in future.

[Neil O’Brien]

Those are very welcome statistics. What is my hon. Friend doing to further grow employment and jobs in Northern Ireland and the rest of the country?

[John Penrose]

I am delighted to give some examples. Not only is unemployment now the lowest of the UK nations, at 2.9%, but the ratio of public sector to private sector jobs is rebalancing healthily. Exports have grown to more than £10 billion, and we expect a tourism surge from the golf open at Portrush. We will continue to pursue those and other measures, including the city deals that have just been mentioned.