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Wales unemployment falls by 12,000 to 6.7% Wales unemployment falls by 12,000 to 6.7%
(about 1 hour later)
The unemployment rate in Wales has fallen to 6.7% compared with 7.2% for the UK as a whole. The unemployment rate in Wales has fallen to 6.7% compared with 7.2% for the UK over the last quarter.
Latest figures show there are 12,000 fewer unemployed people in Wales than reported in the previous month's data. Wales has seen the largest fall in unemployment in all UK nations and regions over the last year, said UK Employment Minister Esther McVey.
First Minister Carwyn Jones said the results showed employment rates were increasing by three times the UK average, The Office for National Statistics figures show the jobless rate has fallen by 12,000 over the last quarter.
Only the south east, south west and east of England have lower rates of unemployment.Only the south east, south west and east of England have lower rates of unemployment.
The latest figures relate to the three months to January this year. Ms McVey said: "The employment rate in Wales is 71%, up 2.1 points on the year - the largest annual increase out of all UK nations and regions - which shows that the growing economy is helping people to find a job, turn their lives around and have the security of a regular wage."
The figures showed a slight increase in youth unemployment levels over the past month but, over the year as a whole, it had decreased by 5,300 in Wales, according to the Wales Office.
First Minister Carwyn Jones said: "With employment rates in Wales increasing by three times the UK average, today's figures also show that youth unemployment is falling faster in Wales than the UK, economic inactivity is now close to a record low, and Wales has seen the biggest increase in private sector employment over the past 12 months."
The number of people out of work in the UK fell by 63,000 to 2.33 million in the three months to January 2014. The unemployment rate of 7.2% is down from 7.4% in the previous three months.
The number of people in employment rose to a record total of 30.19 million.