§ Mr. ARBUTHNOTasked the President of the Board of Trade whether he will issue from time to time statistics giving the number of applications for employment received at the labour exchange offices, and of cases in which employment has been found for the applicants?
The HON. MEMBERalso asked as to the number of applicants for employment already registered at the various labour exchanges throughout the country; and in how many cases has employment been found.
§ Mr. CHAPLINasked a similar question.
Mr. BUXTONIt is the intention of the Board of Trade to compile and issue periodical statistics of the operation of the labour exchanges. No statistics of any value could be given at present. Only three weeks have elapsed since the opening of the first exchange, and hitherto the attention of those in charge has been largely occupied with the preliminary work of organisation and the registration of applicants. I may, however, say that so far as can be judged from the information received the exchanges have made a promising start and that several thousand situations are known to have been already filled through them.
§ Mr. CHAPLINCan the right hon. Gentleman tell us when he is likely to have the information as to the number of applications made?
Mr. BUXTONI hope the right hon. Gentleman will allow that question to stand over for a few weeks. He will, I am sure, appreciate the fact that the statistics he is asking for are at the present moment very incomplete. I shall be very glad to give the information as soon as possible. There is no desire to withhold it.
§ Mr. KEIR HARDIEHave instructions been issued to the exchanges not to register men who are only casually employed? Must a person be actually totally unemployed before his name can be placed on the register?
Sir GILBERT PARKERHas the right hon. Gentleman come to any decision as to whether these statistics will be published in Parliamentary Papers or in the "Trade and Labour Gazette"?