Pendle MP, Gordon Prentice, today accused the Conservative Employment spokesman, James Clappison MP, of being "wide of the mark" in claiming that twelve jobseekers are chasing every vacancy in Pendle.

The Conservative Shadow Minister made the claim yesterday in the Commons during an Opposition initiated debate on unemployment.

Clappison said: "… in jobcentres up and down the country there are many times more jobseekers than there are vacancies for them to fill. I do visit such jobcentres. In Dartford, for instance, there are five jobseekers for every vacancy. In Harlow and Selby there are 12, as there are in Pendle."

The Pendle MP responded: "Unemployment is rising as a result of the recession. We all know that. But why fiddle the figures for Pendle?"

"We have an independent National Statistics Authority and I hope they will in future respond to the claims that politicians make – Labour, Conservatives or Liberal Democrat."

"Clean statistics make for cleaner politics."

The MP tabled the following Commons motion which will appear on the Order Paper tomorrow (12 March)

RATIO OF JOBSEEKERS TO VACANCIES IN PENDLE

This House notes that the Hon Member for Hertsmere, speaking for the Official Opposition in the Unemployment debate on 10 March stated that he visits Jobcentres where there are many times more jobseekers than vacancies, claiming that there are 12 Jobseekers for every vacancy in Pendle; further notes that the Hon Member visited the Colne office on 17 February but the 12:1 ratio was not discussed at any point with officials; records that in January 2009 there were 1,746 people on the JSA Register and 376 jobs notified giving an overall ratio of Jobseekers to jobs in Pendle of 5:1 with the Colne ratio coming in at 3:1 and Nelson 7:1; recognises these ratios can fluctuate on a daily basis; that unemployment in Pendle as elsewhere is rising but is well below the all time high of 4,914 recorded in July 1986, and resolves to do everything it can to ensure the recession is as short and shallow as possible, to keep people in work and to encourage the growth of new employment opportunities.

Gordon Prentice MP