Data for the three months to February show the employment rate at 72.8 per cent, a rise of 0.6 percentage points on the same period a year earlier.

The number of people claiming unemployment related benefit fell in the year to March 2001 and vacancies notified to job centres fell over the year to March 2001.

On March 8 in the 5,380 claimants boroughwide, down by 640 compared to a year ago.