Look out for new GDP revisions from the Office of National Statistics this week. In the meantime, the key news last week was the first fall for 20 months, in the number of people claiming unemployment benefit, plus an increase in the number of people in work up by 53,000 on the quarter, to reach 28.93 million. November saw 6,300 fewer claiming unemployment benefit – the first monthly fall since February 2008.
More than 3 million people have now been helped move off benefits since November 2008, and over 330,000 people have had advice or financial support to avoid repossession of their home.
This comes on top of figures for the construction sector for the third quarter (Q3) 2009, published 4 December, showing the volume of construction output up by 2% on the previous quarter.
Meanwhile, retail sales were more mixed. Year on year, the volume of retail sales in November was 3.1 per cent higher than in November 2008. Sales volume in the three months September to November 2009 increased by 0.8 per cent when compared to the previous three months, the lowest growth since May 2009.
Liam is the MP for Birmingham Hodge Hill, and Labour's Shadow Chief Secretary. 
