ONS

South West sees UK's only regional rise in unemployment

The South West was the only region in the UK to see a rise in unemployment in the last quarter, up 0.4% to 6.4% of the working age population (those aged 16 to 64).

However the region also saw an increase in the rate of employment for the period from July to September 2013, up 0.1% to 74.4%, but lower than the overall UK increase of 0.3%.

The South West region remains the third...

UK population to increase by 9.6m over 25 years

The UK population is likely to top 70 million within the next 15 years.

The UK population is projected to increase by 9.6 million over the next 25 years, according to figures released by the Office for National Statistics (ONS).

The ONS predicts that the number of people in the country will rise from the estimated 63.7 million calculated in mid-2012 to 73.3 million in mid-2037...

Survival rates for cancer continue to improve

Figures released by The Office for National Statistics (ONS) have revealed the trend for increasing survival rates among people diagnosed with cancer has continued.

Statistics for patients diagnosed with one of the 21 most common cancers (which comprise over 90% of all newly diagnosed cancers) during 2007–2011 has revealed that:

  • Survival is generally lower among older
  • ...

Crime figures – good news or bad?

This week we saw the publication of the three-monthly crime figures from the Office of National Statistics (ONS).

As police and crime commissioner it is inevitable that the media will want me to comment in simple sound bites - is this good news or bad news news - so I thought I would clarify why I have been guarded in some of the interviews I have carried out this week.

ONS...

Crime falls in Devon and Cornwall

National Crime is down by the largest ever recorded amount according to figures released by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) today.

The period between June 2012 to June 2013 saw the number of recorded crimes against households and resident adults drop by 7% nationally, the largest single drop since the survey began in 1981.

The figures also show a drop of 6% of crime in...

Rise in unemployment in the South West despite national fall

Unemployment in the South West rose by 0.5% to 6.3% in the June to August quarter, according to figures released by the Office for National Statistics (ONS).

The rise does not mirror the national trend which saw unemployment in the UK fall slightly overall by 0.1%, with only the South West, North West and West Midlands seeing increases in jobless numbers. However, the South West...

South West house prices rise by 2.6% as figures hit UK record high

House prices in the South West rose by an average of 2.6% in the year to August 2013 according to figures released by the Office for National Statistics (ONS).

The average price of a house or flat in the region now stands at £230,000.

The 2.6% rise is lower than the overall UK figure of 3.8% and the 4.1% for England which are both skewed by a considerable rise in London of 8.7...

UK inflation rate remains at 2.7%

The UK's rate of inflation as measured by the Consumer Price Index (CPI) in the year to September, remains at 2.7%. The rate is unchanged since August.

According to the Office for National Statistics (ONS), changes in the consumer categories used to measure the rate were relatively small compared with most months. The largest upward contribution came from air fares, though this was...

South West sees fall in house prices

House prices in the South West fell slightly in the month to September 2013; a surprise drop that mirrors the UK trend.

The house price index level dropped very slightly from 171.7 in August to 171.3 last month, according to figures released by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) which also show a slower rate of price increase for the South West in the 12 months to September 2013...