THE outlook for jobs in the region has received a major boost from a booming service sector, according to a survey.

The quarterly North West Chambers of Commerce survey, which East Lancashire firms contribute to, found that more businesses are looking to take employees and to increase investment.

And manufacturing firms have seen the slowdown that has hit their sector start to bottom out.

"This survey confirms that the upturn in economic confidence and activity we identified in the first quarter of 1999 is being sustained," said Sam Jones, chairman of the North West Chambers economic committee.

"While the greatest improvement is in services, we are also beginning to see the slowdown in manufacturing bottoming out although exporters are continuing to face difficulties caused by the strength of sterling."

In the service sector 55 per cent of firms are expecting to take on more employees and in manufacturing the figure is 45 per cent.

The quarterly survey also found that more firms are experiencing difficulties in recruiting staff.

More than 1,400 companies, together employing 63,000, took part in the latest survey.

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