News that local unemployment figures have fallen again has been hailed as “very good news” by Ilkley Conservative MP Kris Hopkins.

Official figures, published this morning by the Office of National Statistics, show that the number of unemployed claimants in Keighley and Ilkley fell to 1,913 in November, representing a rate of 4.1 per cent of the economically active population aged 16 to 64. The number of claimants is 105 lower than in October 2013 and 476 lower than twelve months ago.

Speaking from Westminster, Mr Hopkins said: “This is very good news.

“I am particularly pleased that youth unemployment in Keighley and Ilkley has fallen by 0.5 per cent in the past month, and we must continue to make every effort to ensure that the trend continues downwards.

“Nationally, the number of young people not in education, employment or training is at its lowest level for a decade.”