TWO areas of Gwent have some of the lowest rates of employment anywhere in Wales, it was revealed.

The GMB union released a new study at the Labour party conference showing only Merthyr Tydfil has a lower employment rate than Blaenau Gwent and Caerphilly.

The average employment rate in Great Britain is 74.4 per cent of the population of working age.

But in Blaenau Gwent the rate is only 64.2 per cent, and in Caerphilly 64.3 per cent.

Newport had the seventh-lowest rate in Wales, at 69.2 per cent. The employment rate in Torfaen was 71.3, and Monmouthshire 76.4 per cent.

The GMB based its figures on a 76 per cent target rate. The number of extra jobs needed to achieve that is 12,212 in Caerphilly, 4,888 in Blaenau Gwent and 5,536 in Newport.

Union regional secretary Allan Garley said: "The employment rate in many parts of Wales is far too low. This is a consequence of the decline in manufacturing and/or mining. The economic regeneration needed in these areas is urgent and must have a high priority."

Councillor Dennis Owens, the Blaenau Gwent executive member for creating jobs, said: "Raising employment levels in Blaenau Gwent is one of the council's top priorities.

"There are historical reasons for challenges we face, but the important thing is that the huge amount of regeneration work that is taking place will help to ensure a brighter future.

"For example, with the regeneration of the former steelworks site in Ebbw Vale and the vastly improved transport links which will be delivered with the re-opening of the Ebbw Valley railway, and the dualling of the Heads of the Valleys, Blaenau Gwent will be much more strongly positioned as a destination in which to live and work."

Caerphilly councillor Allan Pritchard, who represents the Penmaen ward, said he is not surprised that 12,000 jobs are needed.

"We need that number of jobs to replace the ones we lost in mining, and it just hasn't happened," he said.

A spokesman from Newport city council said: "Newport city council has reacted to a changing economy and our economic development team have helped to attract thousands of jobs to the city across all sectors."