Commenting on the news that unemployment has fallen, but youth unemployment continues to rise across Wales, Eluned Parrott, Welsh Liberal Democrat Shadow Business Minister said:
“The fall in unemployment is of course good news in these tough times, but the continued fall in employment levels of 18-24yr olds in Wales is increasingly worrying. This summer, thousands of school, college and university leavers will be entering an ever tougher jobs market.
“The Welsh Government needs to look at the way in which apprenticeships and youth employment schemes are working in Wales in comparison with England and understand why the English schemes seem to be getting better results. Instead of tackling the problem with imagination, political decisions have been taken to recreate failed schemes from the Blair and Brown years here in Wales. That’s not creating something unique for Wales, it’s keeping the ghost of Tony Blair alive to make a political point. It’s lazy, partisan politics and it’s truly letting the people of Wales down.”
