ONE of the most comprehensive reports ever published on how the North-East compares with the rest of the United Kingdom was launched at the Guild Hall, Newcastle last week.

The 17th state of the region profile report was compiled by the North-East Assembly and One NorthEast.

Coun Bob Gibson, vice-chairman of the assembly, said it was an invaluable benchmark. "While it clearly shows we have made substantial progress over recent years in many areas of our lives, there is still a great deal of work to be done, especially in terms of employment and health," he said.

Mr Mike Collier, chief executive of One NorthEast, said the report highlighted pleasing aspects as well as some of the major challenges.

"One NorthEast is working with its partners throughout the region to tackle some of the issues highlighted in the report," he said, adding that success depended on all parties and sub-regions working closely together.

"I have every confidence that together we can deliver real and lasting change for all the region's people," he said.

The report's findings included:

l A major drop in crime since the mid-1990s, including a 4.6pc cut in 1999-2000 compared with the previous year.

During the year there were 9,896 crimes per 100,000 people in the North-East while the figure for England and Wales rose 3.3pc to 10,111 per 100,000.

l Participation in further education was up to 68pc for 16 year olds, a dramatic increase from 21pc in the early 1980s, but still below the national average of 76pc. Student numbers at North-East universities were up by more than a third since 1992/93.

l Trade and transport links between the North-East and the rest of Europe has improved. The volume of goods sold to EU countries rose by almost 50pc from early 1999 to 2000. Four-fifths of the region's exports were sold to the EU; the UK average is three-fifths.

l Freight traffic through the region's six ports was up from 50,408 tonnes in 1996 to 53,998 in 1999.

Teesside airport's freight increased from 43 tonnes in 1997 to 3,009 tonnes in 2000 and Newcastle airport is expected to accommodate 4.8m customers a year.

l Air quality was excellent and traffic levels below the national average. Generally people in the region travel 1,000 miles a year less, using various modes of travel including walking, than the rest of Great Britain.

l Regional household income was £363 a week, 20pc below the UK average of £455, with 42pc of children living in families dependent upon means-tested benefits.

Between 1999 and 2000 men's earnings rose more quickly than the GB average, 3.7pc compared with 2.5pc. Women's earnings - up 5.6pc - also exceeded the national growth rate of 3.4pc. In real terms men's average gross earnings increased by 0.7pc and women's by 2.6pc.

l House prices fell to roughly 60pc of the country's average price, compared with 80pc in the early 1990s.

l Population continues to fall, down 29,000 (1.1pc) in the last five years. Since 1996 births have failed to match or exceed deaths, but migration has evened out to about 5,000 a year (net of incoming people) compared with just under 8,000 in 1995.

Mortality rates are higher than in any other English region and patient lists for doctors and dentists are significantly longer than the UK averages. This is in contrast to hospital appointment times which are well below the national average and have been shortened by 16pc since 1999