THE effects of Corus job cuts in Gwent have yet to make a big impact on the region's unemployment figures.

The number of people out of work and claiming benefits rose slightly between July and August, the latest figures show.

Figures from the Department for Work and Pensions reveal in the five counties making up the Greater Gwent area, only Blaenau Gwent recorded a drop in the unadjusted figure. A marginal 0.2 per cent change saw the number of people unemployed there fall from 1,834 to 1,830.

In Newport the jobless figure was up 100 to 3,085, while in Torfaen the increase was from 1,419 to 1,432.

In Caerphilly the number of people claiming unemployment benefit rose by 164 to 3,128, and the number rose in Monmouthshire by 79 to 947.

In Wales generally, 50,360 people, representing 3.9 per cent of the estimated total workforce, were unemployed and claiming related benefit. The number of people unemployed was up 747 or 1.5 per cent on the July figure.

But the seasonally adjusted figures show 49,700 people, representing 3.8 per cent of the estimated total workforce, were claiming benefit, down 0.8 per cent.

Nick Brown, minister for work, said the figures showed the UK labour market remained in a strong position and that the government understands the difficulties faced by some parts of the economy.

But he added: "We know there are also new jobs coming up all the time, as the number of new vacancies at Jobcentres remain high."

The UK unadjusted claimant count stood at 973,184, up 11,363 on July. The seasonally adjusted figure showed there had been a fall of 6,000, to 945,600 people, the lowest level since October 1975. In Wales and the UK generally it was women who made up most of the increase in the unadjusted figures. In Wales the increase in the number of women unemployed was 454, for men it was 293. For the UK the figures were 8,773 and 2,590 respectively.