A NATIONAL fall in unemployment fall of 3,000 to 1.44 million in the three months to November has been welcomed by Ribble Valley MP Nigel Evans.

This week’s official figures show that across the UK the number of those in work increased sharply and wages rose at their fastest rate in almost a year, leaving the unemployment rate at a four-decade low of 4.3 per cent.

But the Office for National Statistics said growth in wages at 2.4 per cent remained below inflation at 3.1 per cent in November, leaving real wages lower than a year earlier.

Mr Evans said the figures showed that under this Conservative government since 2010 the unemployment rate had dropped from 7.9 per cent to the lowest since 1975.

The Tory backbencher said: “I am thrilled.

“We have fantastic small, medium and large businesses in Ribble Valley that have been able to grow, invest and create jobs.

“The constituency’s unemployment rate is at 1.1 per cent, well below the national average, which draws from the huge success of the businesses in the area.

“The Government’s push to enable growth in the North West has not only helped rural businesses, but created more jobs for the people who are the backbone of the British economy.”

More local figures have yet to be published.