CENTRAL Devon MP Mel Stride has welcomed new figures which show the number of people in work is at a record high and wages are growing at their fastest rate in a decade.

UK employment now stands at 32.6 million, up 444,000 during the last year, and average weekly earnings for employees increased by 3.4 per cent compared with a year earlier. The unemployment rate is at four per cent - the lowest since 1975.

Mr Stride, who serves as Financial Secretary to the Treasury and Paymaster General, said: “After adjusting for inflation these figures show the highest wage growth since March 2011 and for the first time in our history unemployment among women is below four per cent.

“Within the figures it is very encouraging to see that 96 per cent of jobs created in the last year are full-time and there are still a good number of vacancies meaning that businesses are continuing to grow and take on new staff and have confidence in our economy.

“There is still a lot more to do though and there must be absolutely no room for complacency.”