Commenting on the release of figures showing that unemployment in Wales has risen in comparison to last month's figures despite a drop from the previous quarter, Welsh Lib Dem Shadow Economy Minister, Jenny Randerson AM said:
"These figures make very worrying reading. While I welcome the fact that there has been a small drop in unemployment compared to the previous quarter, the unemployment rate is higher than it was last month. It seems to suggest that the optimism a month ago may now have turned into a bad trend again.
"Yesterday we saw glossy full page adverts from the Government in Welsh newspapers congratulating themselves on their economic performance, yet today we see more bad news for Welsh families.
"We need a laser-like focus on protecting jobs and re-modeling the Welsh economy. That can't be achieved through PR and cuts to training budgets."
"The Government will no doubt trumpet the use of ProAct in this recession, but when, in areas like Ceredigion, it is only supporting a tiny handful of people , it is little wonder that it will have failed to prevent thousands of job losses across Wales
The unemployment rate for Wales in the last quarter (October to December) was 8.6%, compared to a UK average of 7.8%. Last month's figures (September to November) showed a rate of 8.5%.
