§ MR. ALDENI beg to ask the President of the Local Government Board whether, in conjunction with the President of the Board of Trade, he will circulate amongst the municipalities of Great Britain, which at the present moment have labour registries, information regarding the organisation of the labour bureaux in leading Continental cities; and whether, at the same time, he will make it a condition of any future grants from an unemployed fund that the organisation of these labour registries should be adequate for the purpose they have in view.
I beg also to ask the President of the Board of Trade whether, through the Labour Department, he will cause inquiry to be made as to the working of the labour bureaux in such Continental towns as Berlin, Munich, Leipzig, Strasburg, Frankfurt, and Copenhagen; whether such information could be given to Members of the House; and whether, in conjunction with the President of the Local Government Board, he will circulate this information as to the organisation and conduct of these labour bureaux amongst all the municipalities in Great Britain which, at the present time, have labour registries.
§ MR. JOHN BURNSPerhaps in answering this Question I may be allowed to answer also No. 64 which is addressed to the President of the Board of Trade. Information with regard to the organisation of the labour bureaux at Berlin and Munich, and figures as to the working of the bureaux at Leipsic and Frankfort, and a large number of other German towns, was published in 1904 in a volume entitled "Agencies and Methods for Dealing with the Unemployed in certain Foreign Countries," which was presented to Parliament and circulated by the Board of Trade to labour bureaux, town clerks, boards of guardians, distress committees, and others. A copy of this volume is being sent to my hon. friend, who will perhaps consider that what has been already done will meet the object he has in view. I cannot make any promise as to the conditions to be attached to any future grants which may be made for the purposes of the Unemployed Workmen Act.
§ MR. ALDENWill the right hon. Gentleman see that the methods of organising are also circulated? They are not shown in the Report.
§ MR. JOHN BURNSI will confer with my hon. friend.