§ MR. WHITMORE (Chelsea)I beg to ask the President of the Board of Trade whether he can inform the House approximately of the number of adult men actually unemployed in the Metropolis at the present time?
§ THE PRESIDENT OF THE BOARD OF TRADE (Mr. MUNDELLA, Sheffield, Brightside)It is impossible to give any accurate estimate of the number of adult males unemployed in the Metropolis at the present time. The only figures which can be quoted with certainty are those of the Trade Societies which make monthly Returns to the Labour Department. The last month's Returns of the engineering, shipbuilding, and metal trades in the Metropolis show about 8 per cent. of unemployed as compared with 9 per cent. in July and August last. In the building trades the proportion is 3.6 628 per cent. as compared with 2.3 in the previous month. In the printing and book trades (this being their dull season) the proportion is 6 per cent. In the cabinet and furnishing trades the proportion has risen to 8.6 per cent. Beyond this, we cannot speak with confidence, but I am advised that in the general trades of London there is no reason to suppose that the proportion is higher than in the trades quoted. I am informed that in dock labour and the transport trade generally there has been some improvement since the coal dispute was settled. Later figures will be given in The Labour Gazette as to the general situation.
MR. J. LOWTHER (Kent, Thanet)Can the right hon. Gentleman give any information as to the number of aliens employed in London? Is there any record of that?
§ MR. MUNDELLANo, Sir.