§ Mr. C. DUNCAN (for Mr. Clynes)asked the President of the Local Government Board whether his attention had been drawn to a report compiled from recent returns from trade unions and presented to the last meeting of the Oldham Trades Council, showing a high percentage of unemployed in the various trades, more than 1,500 persons being returned as out of work in the building and general trades alone; and whether, in such a case of exceptional unemployment, he was able to announce any adequate step to deal with it?
§ Mr. BURNSI have received from the Oldham and District Trades and Labour Council a newspaper cutting containing a copy of the report in question. I gather from it, not that there are more than 1,500 persons who are returned as out of work in the building and general trades, but that out of a total of 1,521 persons referred to as unemployed, 450 belong to the building and general trades. I am ready to consider any proposals I may receive from the Distress Committee for dealing with unemployment in the borough.