Jobless under 11pc forfirst time since 2001

23 July 2004

MADRID – The number of people out of work in Spain has fallen under 11 percent for the first time since 2001, Spain’s Economics Secretary said Friday.

David Vegara said 71,600 fewer people were out of work during the past three months, bringing the overall figure to just below 11 percent of the working population.

This represented a 3.31 percent fall in comparison with the period between January and March.

The official total of jobless in Spain now stands at 2,092,600 – or 10.93 percent of the active population.

The working population reached 17 million – a rise of 1.17 percent compared with the first three months of the year.

However, in the past year the number of people claiming unemployment benefit had risen by 7,500 – or by 0.36 percent.

At the same time, there were 384,000 more people registered for work – an increase of 2.3 percent.  This figure includes people doing placements.

Between April and June, there were 42,600 fewer men out of work, while the number of women out of work fell by 29,000.

More women between 16 and 54 found work in the past three months, while fewer women over 55 were able to get jobs.

The service industry sector saw the largest rise in the number of people working, with 38,400 more in employment.

In other areas, there were 15,700 more people employed in the construction industry and 4,400 in heavy industry.

But the number of people out of work in agriculture rose by 19,100.

The National Institute of Statistics said the last three months saw the highest ever number of women working in Spain, who now make up 44.47 percent of the working population.

The number of jobless rose in Andalucía, Extremadura, Valencia and Madrid.

But Catalonia, the Balearic Islandsand the Basque Country saw falls in the numbers out of work.

[Copyright EFE with Expatica]

Subject: Spanish news