UNEMPLOYMENT in Kent and Medway fell again in October, with 121 people quitting the jobless register.

The number of people out of work in the county was 17,404 (2.4 per cent of workforce) in October, according to Government figures. In Medway, the total fell by 47 to 3,220 (3.1 per cent).

Jobless totals fell across the county, except in Maidstone where there was no change (1,003) and in two east Kent districts. Only Dover (up 32 to 1,315) and Shepway (up 14 to 1,289) bucked the downward trend.

In Swale, unemployment fell by 10 to 1,586. But the closure of Sheerness steel mill is likely to transform the situation over the next few months as more than 300 people begin their search for a new job.

The imminent closure of the Allied Steel and Wire mill is a further sign of the parlous state of British manufacturing. A total of 159,000 jobs in the sector were cut in the three months to September.

The number of workers lost in manufacturing has plunged to a record low of 3.6 million, around 13 per cent of the total workforce. In the early 1950s, the comparable figure was 50 per cent. The biggest job cuts were in electrical and optical equipment (54,000), metal products (24,000) and textiles, leather and clothing (20,000).

The jobless tally in Kent and Medway has fallen by nearly 400 in the past year.

Nationally, unemployment fell by 4,500 in October to 940,500 (3.1 per cent), the lowest total since 1975. Figures from the Office for National Statistics also showed that the number of people in work fell by 36,000 in the quarter to September to 27.6m. There was a fall of 72,000 full time workers but this was offset by an increase of 37,000 part timers.

Average earnings rose by 3.8 per cent in the year to September, unchanged from August's figure. Private sector earnings growth fell to 3.8 per cent while public sector pay went up 0.2 per cent to 3.6 per cent.

There were 9,000 working days lost through industrial disputes in September, the lowest figure since June 2000. This figure is likely to rise following the firefighters' strike.

The county's jobless figures on October 10: Kent and Medway combined, 17,404 (down 121) - 2.4 per cent; Kent, 14,184 (down 74) - 2.3 per cent; Medway, 3,220 (down 47) - 3.1 per cent; Ashford, 942 (down five) - 1.9 per cent; Canterbury, 1,289 (down 34) - 2 per cent; Dartford, 829 (down 16) - 1.8 per cent; Dover, 1,315 (up 32) - 2.9 per cent; Gravesham, 1,375 (down 18) - 3.8 per cent; Maidstone, 1,003 (no change) - 1.2 per cent; Sevenoaks, 684 (down 14) - 1.3 per cent; Shepway, 1,289 (up 14) - 3 per cent; Swale, 1,586 (down 10) - 3.1 per cent; Thanet, 2,579 (down seven) - 6.2 per cent; Tonbridge and Malling, 672 (down 10) - 1.1 per cent; Tunbridge Wells, 621 (down six) - 1.1 per cent.