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The Committee notes the detailed information provided in the Government’s comprehensive report received in August 2002. It notes that as a result of more extensive corporate downsizing and lay-offs following the economic downturn, labour demand slackened markedly over 2001 and labour supply continued to rise. The seasonally adjusted unemployment rate rose from 4.5 per cent in the first semester of 2001 to 7 per cent in the first quarter of 2002 (affecting some 109,300 workers). The report includes information on the efforts made to tackle unemployment by creating more job opportunities and by enhancing training and retraining so as to improve the employability of the workforce. The Committee would like to continue to receive information on the actions taken by the Labour Department, the Vocational Training Council, the Employees’ Retraining Board - in consultation with the representatives of the persons affected and in particular, representatives of employers’ and workers’ organizations - to promote full, productive and freely chosen employment.