Unemployment figures always put Government and Opposition politicians in an invidious position. Both sides have to react as if the figures reflect the overnight success or failure of Government job initiatives when, in fact, they are the fruits of policy decision taken years earlier, often by a party or parties no longer in power. Of course, this works both ways so there is no need to feel too sorry for politicians of any hue when they are caught on the wrong side of a trend. ail and the PDs currently receive the accolades for jobless figures which have fallen to a 16-year low and may this month dip below the psychologically-important 200,000 level.

Amid all the political sniping over such figures, it is possible to lose sight of the significance of announcements such as last week's about a private/public partnership to provide IT training for people who are long-term unemployed. It is such initiatives which provide some real hope for those least suited for the rigours of today's employment market.