§ Mr. RAMSAY MACDONALDasked the Home Secretary whether his Department has in its possession information which would enable it to estimate at each of the age periods dealt with in the actuarial memorandum issued in connection with the National Insurance Bill the number of widows employed, within the meaning of the Bill, in the textile trades, indoor domestic service, sharing and laundry-work, nursing, dressmaking, commercial professions, and agriculture?
§ The SECRETARY of STATE for the HOME DEPARTMENT (Mr. Churchill)The returns of employment collected by my Department do not contain the information necessary for this purpose. In the last return collected under the Factory Act, occupiers were asked to furnish voluntarily information as to the marriage state of the women in their employment, and the information was given in a sufficient number of cases to enable an estimate to be formed of the total number of widows employed in the textile industries, laundries, and dressmaking. The returns, however, do not distinguish age groups above eighteen, nor do they include outworkers. I shall be happy to give these figures if the hon. Member desires it. No returns of employment are obtained by my Department for domestic service, charing, nursing, commercial professions or agriculture.
§ Mr. RAMSAY MACDONALDWould it be convenient if I put down an unstarred question?
§ Mr. CHURCHILLI do not think that will be necessary. I will supplement the answer with the information which the ton. Member desires.