THE number of people looking for work in Derby and Derbyshire still remains at its highest level for 13 years.

Figures released by the Office for National Statistics yesterday showed that the number claiming Jobseeker's Allowance in Derby in February was 7,916 – a rise of 109, or 1.4%, on the previous month.

In the rest of the county the number of claimants went up by 0.3% in February to 18,434, a rise of 51.

In January the figures shot up by 4.1% in Derby and 6.6% in the rest of the county.

Although the latest figures show a slowdown, they still mean that the number of jobseekers are at their highest level since Labour came to power in 1997.

The last time the numbers were so high in Derby was in May 1997, at 8,043.

The last time the claimant count was this high in the rest of the county was February, 1997, when it stood at 18,899.

The local figures are out of step with the national picture, where the number of claimants fell by 32,300 to 1.59 million.

Nationally, unemployment, which includes people not actively looking for work, fell by 33,000 to 2.45 million over the quarter.

There were 173,000 unemployed in the East Midlands over the three months, a rise of 1,000 on the previous three.

George Cowcher, chief executive of Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire Chamber of Commerce, said: "We are also probably seeing the lingering effects of seasonal employment coming to an end.

"But it is clear that now is not the time to cut back on support for job creation – and the Government has an ideal opportunity with the forthcoming Budget to introduce measures that support businesses' ability to increase employment, with particular emphasis on full-time jobs.

"Scrapping the rise in employers' National Insurance contributions, planned for next year, would be a good place to start."