HC Deb 04 August 1925 vol 187 cc1156-7
58. Mr. B. PETO

asked the Minister of Labour what is the increase in the number of adults unemployed in the coal-mining, shipbuilding, iron and steel, and engineering trades, and the total increase of adults unemployed in all trades as compared with a year ago; and whether the official figures published are a complete enumeration of such unemployed or whether they are merely an index of the state of trade?

The MINISTER of LABOUR (Sir Arthur Steel-Maitland)

As the reply involves a number of figures, I will, with my hon. Friend's consent, circulate a statement in the OFFICIAL REPORT.

Mr. PETO

Can the right hon. Gentleman give us any statement as to the increase in the official figures that is necessary to give the actual number of unemployed, and not merely the number which appears in the official returns?

Sir A. STEEL-MAITLAND

Broadly speaking, the figures are obtained by counting the number of unemployment books of insured persons at the Employment Exchanges. For all practical pur- poses that may be taken as an accurate and fairly complete enumeration of the people who are unemployed.

Mr. MACKINDER

Am. I to understand that the answer given last week was incomplete, and that only those on

NUMBER of Unemployment Books of adults remaining lodged at Employment Exchanges in Great Britain.
— 22nd June, 1925. 23rd June, 1924. Increase + or Decrease - as compared with 1924.
Coal Mining … … … … 301,202 57,275 + 243,927
Shipbuilding … … … … 75,611 63,742 + 11,869
Iron and Steel … … … … 55,889 43,095 +12,794
Engineering* … … … … 92,595 105,849 - 13,254
All Trades … … … … 1,294,883 1,009,641 + 285,242
* Excluding the motor industry.

The figures in the statement are obtained by counting the unemployment books of insured persons remaining lodged at Employment Exchanges in Great Britain, and may be taken as being sufficiently near, for practical purposes, to a complete enumeration of the unemployed in these trades.

59. Mr. LANSBURY

asked the Minister of Labour the number of persons registered at the Employment Exchanges as unemployed and in receipt of benefit on 24th July, and the number registered and not in receipt of benefit?

Sir A. STEEL-MAITLAND

At 20th July the number of persons on the registers of Employment Exchanges in Great Britain was 1,221,912, of whom 1,094,268 had claims to benefit current at that date. The number of persons registered who had no claim to benefit current was 127,644.