§ SIR FRANCIS CHANNINGI beg to ask the President of the Local Government Board whether he can state the total number of persons registered in the employment registers of the local labour exchanges in London since 31st March, 1908; what is the number of labour exchanges or bureaux or employment registers started or utilised by distress committees in the provinces, and what has been the total number of persons registered since that date in such exchanges and employment registers; what has been the number of situations filled through the agency of such exchanges and employment registers since 31st March in London and in the provinces; whether any satisfactory system of intercommunication has been established, and is in actual operation, between the central exchange of London and the provincial labour exchanges and bureaux; and whether the number of skilled workmen provided with situations through these agencies is increasing or not.
§ MR. JOHN BURNSThe total number of persons registered by the local labour exchanges in London since 31st March last up to the 11th instant is 115,195. The number of situations filled by the exchanges in London in the same period is 18,172. For the provinces, I cannot give such precise figures, but it appears 1862 that during the eight months following 31st March last there were thirteen labour bureaux maintained by distress committees (apart from some other exchanges worked by town councils), and that the total number of new applicants at the bureaux of these thirteen distress committees was 28,403, out of which number 3,893 were provided with situations. Some intercommunication takes place between London and the provinces as regards the operations of labour exchanges, but there is no organised system for the purpose. I am informed that in London the exchanges are daily becoming more used in respect to both registering and supplying skilled workmen, and that many large factories now draw the whole of their hands from them.
§ SIR FRANCIS CHANNINGDo I understand that the intercommunication between London and the provinces will be looked into by the Local Government Board and will be more fully organised?
§ MR. JOHN BURNSThe subject of labour bureaux is being considered at this moment in concurrence not only with my right hon. friend the President of the Board of Trade, but with the Government as a whole.
§ SIR FRANCIS CHANNINGDoes the right hon. Gentleman contemplate giving further Returns covering recent months?
§ MR. JOHN BURNSYes. We trust to be able to issue before June a Report which will be an improvement on that of June last.