Drop in unemployment in BC and Navarre above national average

According to data published by Spain''s Ministry of Employment on Tuesday, jobless figures for the Basque Country registered a drop of 3,825 people in April, 2.77% less than in March, leaving a total number of approximately 134,000 people out of work.

However, figures for unemployment have risen since last year by 12,189 jobless, a rise of 9.98% compared to the same period in 2009.

In terms of the three provinces of the Community, all three have registered a recent reduction in unemployment: Alava recorded a drop of 219 jobless (equivalent to -1.07%) with 20.225 now currently out of work; the number in Gipuzkoa dropped by 1,313 (-3.15%) to 40,366; while in Biscay 73,709 are now registered unemployed, 2,293 less than in March (-3.02%).

In Navarre, unemployment dropped by 3.16%, putting the current number of jobless at 42,372 for the Community.

Figures for Spain

The number of people signing on for unemployment benefits in Spain fell by 24,188 in April, the first drop in eight months, according to Employment Ministry figures.

The ministry said the reduction meant a total of 4.14 million people were now claiming unemployment benefits, down from 4.17 million at the end of March.

The decrease contrasts with figures released last Friday by the National Statistics Institute showing Spain''s jobless rate had risen 1.22% in the first quarter to 20.05%, double the European Union average.

The institute said this indicated that some 4.6 million people were out of work.

The quarterly figure is based on a survey of more than 60,000 households and is seen by economists as more accurate than the unemployment benefit claims figure.

Spain''s economy, one of the EU''s most buoyant three years ago, is now struggling hard to emerge from recession following the collapse of its construction industry and the effects of the international financial crisis.

Employment Secretary Maravillas Rojo said the claims decrease compared favorably to increases of some 40,000 registered in April for the last two years and showed "the destruction of employment is slowing."