MR. BURNIE (Swansea, Town)I beg to ask the President of the Board of Trade whether he is making any prospective arrangements to mitigate as far as practicable the effects of a probable increased scarcity of employment during the coming winter; and if he will suggest and use his influence to encourage the formation of labour bureaux in provincial towns on similar lines to those in Chelsea and other parts of London, such bureaux to be in communication with one another with a view to assist in finding employment for those seeking it?
THE PRESIDENT OF THE BOARD OF TRADE (Mr. MUNDELLA,) Sheffield, BrightsideThe duty of providing relief work, where necessary, devolves upon Local Authorities, subject to the control of the Local Government Board. As to the second part of the question, I may say that the Labour Department has now a Report in an advanced state of preparation, which deals with the whole subject of unemployed labour and the various agencies in operation for finding work or other relief, municipal or otherwise. I trust that the information contained in this Report may help to guide Public Bodies to a knowledge of the best forms of relief agencies, and thus favour their establishment more widely upon lines shown by experience to be safest.