THE unemployment rate in Northern Ireland fell below 10 per cent last month, for the first time in 16 years, according to figures released yesterday.
The seasonally adjusted figure for November showed unemployment at 76,100 - which is 9.9 per cent of the workforce and represents a drop of 6,300 on the previous month.
The Economy Minister, Baroness Denton, said: "It is difficult to avoid the conclusion that much of the record fall, over the last two months, has been due to non-genuine claimants leaving the count, deterred by the introduction of Job Seekers' Allowance."