UNEMPLOYMENT rates in North and East Yorkshire have shot up in the past year, according to the latest figures released by local authorities.

The number of people claiming unemployment-related benefits increased by 37 per cent in North Yorkshire and 50 per cent in East Yorkshire between November 2007 and November 2008.

Some of the largest increases were in Selby district, where 1,029 people claimed benefits such as jobseeker’s allowance in November – up 51 per cent from the same period the previous year.

In Ryedale, there were 489 claimants, up 44 per cent on the previous year.

Coun Howard Keal, leader of the Liberal Democrat opposition group on Ryedale District Council, said the statistics made depressing reading.

“It’s hard when you look at the figures to avoid a sharp intake of breath,” he said. “These are appallingly high increases, especially the year-on-year results.”

In only one month, the number of claimants in Ryedale increased by 28 per cent.

Coun Keal said: “The figures represent a catalogue of misery for the start of the new year. It’s a reflection of the reality that Labour isn’t working, and it’s sad to see the reality of that hitting home in Ryedale.

“We have a resilient local economy, but there is no question, everyone is in for a tough year ahead.”

Talking about the Selby district figures, Labour MP John Grogan said he did not expect the numbers to improve in the near future, but defended the Government’s record.

“These figures are truly shocking, but I fear that there will be worse to come,” he said.

“They do not include, for example, the jobs lost at Rigid Paper, Clariant or Woolworths.

“In the coming weeks, I think we will see a whole range of further measures from the Government designed to try and get the banks lending again to businesses and to get the economy moving.”

In Hambleton district, there were 714 people claiming unemployment-related benefits, up 26 per cent between November 2007 and November 2008.

In East Yorkshire, the month-on-month increase was not as drastic as the 50 per cent surge over 12 months. Between October and November last year, the number of claimants increased by 27 per cent.

Alan Menzies, the director of planning and economic regeneration at East Riding of Yorkshire Council, said: “Certainly, we are facing challenges and we’ve had some difficulties in the caravan manufacturing and construction industries.

“But what I would say is that it’s not all doom and gloom. We’ve had some significant investment in the past 18 months.”

He said the Tesco distribution centre at Goole, which opened at the end of 2007, was only one of a number of projects dotted along the M62 and A63 corridors.