More jobs set to go

A survey of over 700 employers revealed a "substantial" fall in employment intentions among public sector organisations, marking a "difficult" first quarter of the year for jobs.

The Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development said the jobs market was "on the ropes", with more concerns ahead, including more outsourcing of work.

A study showed there was no overall return to growth in sight for jobs, with employers planning to cut their staff by over six per cent in the current quarter.

More employers were planning to cut staff rather than hire new workers, and the outlook was particularly bleak in the public sector.

The study showed that one in 10 private firms planned to outsource jobs abroad this year to countries including India and those in Eastern Europe.