It blamed huge cuts at banks as gloomy figures yesterday showed the first slip in its national employment survey since mid-2009. Of 2,100 firms quizzed, only 2 per cent more expect to hire extra staff in the coming quarter. And there is a huge gap between the North and South. Hiring intentions in the Midlands and South are up 6 per cent. But in the North, Wales and Scotland they are down 2 per cent. Manpower exec James Hick said: "Prospects in many parts of the North look increasingly bleak. "London is flat and that is down to the banks. Six months ago they were hiring like billy-o, but since then we've seen 50,000 job cuts announced." Construction is worst hit, with hiring intentions down 5 per cent. The utilities sector is most buoyant. Big spending cuts are still to have an effect on staffing numbers in central government. Mr Hick said: "It's local government where the biggest cuts have been made."Jobs ‘grind to halt’
BRITAIN'S jobs market has ground to a halt — with firms their most nervous since the recession, recruitment giant MANPOWER said.
Tuesday, 13 September 2011
Gloom ... building trade
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