§ MR. LEVERTON HARRIS (Tower Hamlets, Stepney)To ask the President of the Board of Trade, whether he has any official information showing how far the present unemployment in Berlin is due to strikes in the building and timber trade; and whether he can state how many of those at present tabled as unemployed belong to these trades.
(Answered by Mr. Kearley.) So far as I am aware there is no strike at present in the building or wood-working trades of Berlin, but there is a large amount of unemployment resulting partly from disputes occurring last year and partly from the high rate of interest ruling for loans to builders. Figures published by the Berlin Trades Council, however, indicate that of the total unemployed membership of trade unions on 15th January making returns, about one-half consisted of building and wood-working operatives. I may add that the percentage of trade union members returned as unemployed on that date to the Berlin Trades Council I was 14.1.