Unemployment among men was 8.4% and among women 8.8%, according to the Labour Force Survey, the standard which the International Labour Organisation (ILO) and Eurostat use to measure unemployment. Youth unemployment (15-24 age group) was 18.9%.

The number of people in employment dropped by 6,000 compared to the previous quarter to 927,000, down slightly from the same period last year.

The number of inactive persons increased for the second consecutive quarter and climbed to 747,000. Pensioners accounted for the bulk of the total (64.7%), followed by students (19.8%).