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Work Programme (Wales)

(Translation) : The right hon. Gentleman makes an excellent point. I shall address it later when I refer to Sheffield Hallam university’s report on unemployment in Wales. I will give one other set of figures—the most frightening of all. In the Rhondda, 153 jobs have been advertised in the Jobcentre Plus office, and there are almost 2,500 jobseekers, which is a ratio of 16:1. Moreover, 12,500 people are economically inactive, and I am sorry to say that that ratio is 81.37:1. There are 81 people for each job. I appreciate that that is a monthly snapshot—it may be better next month, it may be worse—but it says something.