§ 35. Sir N. GRATTAN-DOYLEasked the Minister of Labour what conditions have to exist before an area can be regarded as having a permanent surplus of labour for purposes of the industrial transference scheme?
§ Sir A. STEEL-MAITLANDWithout attempting an exhaustive definition of such an area as that to which my hon. Friend alludes, I would say that it must be one in which a large proportion of the industrial population is no longer able, and is unlikely in the future to be able, to find employment within the area.
§ Sir N. GRATTAN-DOYLECan the right hon. Gentleman give any standard by which these areas are judged?
§ Sir A. STEEL-MAITLANDI cannot give any fixed standard because all these areas vary indefinitely, and I have to apply general principles in order to ascertain whether they should be included.
§ Sir N. GRATTAN-DOYLEMay I ask, therefore, what principles operate in order to give a decision?
§ Sir A. STEEL-MAITLANDI have told the hon. Member that several reasons operate in order to come to a conclusion. One is the degree of unemployment, another is the amount of population, and a third is whether the place is sufficiently large and whether there are other industries in which perhaps the unemployed people can get work. These are three of the most important, and all these have to be weighed together in order to arrive at a decision.
§ Mr. LANSBURYIs it not a fact that the chief reason is that the right hon. Gentleman and his Department want to 1756 make believe that they are doing something, while they are doing nothing at all but playing the fool?
§ Sir A. STEEL-MAITLANDThe hon. Member no doubt judges by what he would do in similar circumstances.
§ Mr. KIRKWOODIs the Minister aware that the latest returns for the shipbuilding industry, on 17th December, 1928, show that in the Tyne area there were 46.7 per cent. unemployed?