ILKLEY'S jobless total has fallen again.

Latest figures show 990 people in the parliamentary constituency, which includes Keighley, were out of work last month – ten down on May.

The total has dropped by 240 compared to a year ago and by 1,021 – or 51 per cent – since June, 2010.

Youth unemployment in the constituency fell to 180 last month – 115 fewer than a year ago.

Ilkley MP Kris Hopkins, speaking from Westminster after addressing the Commons for the first time as a Northern Ireland Office minister, said: "I am pleased that another ten of my constituents are now in jobs and I hope this trend will continue in the months ahead, despite the initial jolt to our economy caused by the Brexit vote.

"It is particularly noteworthy that unemployment has fallen by more than half in the six years since the Conservative-led Government came to power.

"This reflects incredibly positively on the sound economic policies we have put in place, which have given employers in Keighley and Ilkley the necessary business confidence to take on more staff.

"It is also worth pointing out that wages rose 2.2 per cent in the last year and, with inflation still very low and almost 750,000 jobs now vacant across the country, there has never been a better time to be in work."