§ 60. Mr. GILBERTasked the Minister of Labour the number of unemployed men and women in the county of London registered during the last four weeks; and whether the numbers show an increase or decrease compared with the same weeks last year?
§ Sir M. BARLOWDuring the four weeks ended 6th November, 1922, 68,860 men and 18,633 women registered themselves at Employment Exchanges in the Greater London area, as compared with—and I would ask the House to pay particular attention to this—97,697 men and 31,370 women in the four weeks ended 4th November, 1921.
§ 61. Mr. GILBERTasked the Minister of Labour the names of the six industries in London in which the greatest number of unemployed are registered at the present time; and will he state if unemployment is generally bad in these industries at this time of the year?
§ Sir M. BARLOWThe six industries in London in which the greatest number of unemployed are registered at the present time are building, engineering and ironfounding, the distributive trades, dock labour, road transport (other than trams and omnibuses), and food and drink manufacture. With the exception of the building trades, these trades do not usually suffer to any marked extent 690 from seasonal depression at this time of the year.
§ Mr. HARRISWill the right hon. Gentleman call the attention of the Minister of Health, whom he also represents, to the fact that there is a large number out of work in the building trade and that there is a serious shortage of houses in the county of London?
§ Sir M. BARLOWI have the best of reasons for knowing that that consideration is present to the mind of my right hon. Friend the Minister of Health.