§ MR. L. HASLAM (Monmouth Boroughs)I beg to ask the President of the Board of Trade what was the percentage of unemployed in December, 1904, and in December, 1905, respectively, as given in the Board of Trade Labour Gazette; are these Returns furnished by employers and their associations, trade unions, local correspondents, and other sources; if so, what class of workpeople are included in the Returns; do the Returns include the unemployed absent from work through sickness or accident; and, if so, what percentages were unemployed from each of these causes.
§ MR. LLOYD-GEORGEThe percentage of members of trade unions returned as unemployed at the end of December, 1904, was 7.6, and at the end of December, 1905, 4.9. These percentages are based on Returns from trade unions giving unemployed benefit. The industries represented in the Returns included building, wood-working, iron and steel, shipbuilding, engineering, metal trades, coal mining, textile, paper, printing, leather, glass, and certain other trades. 641 The Returns do not include those absent through sickness, accident, holidays, or strikes, or for any other reason than want of employment.