§ Sir C. KINLOCH-COOKEasked the President of the Board of Trade if he will state what sum has been expended on Labour Exchanges in connection with the hire and purchase of buildings up to 31st December, 1911, and what was the number of officials attached to the Labour Exchanges at the same date; what was the total sum paid in salaries; and how many of these officials passed a Civil Service examination?
The PARLIAMENTARY SECRETARY to the BOARD of TRADE (Mr. Robertson)The total sum expended on the hire of Labour Exchange buildings up to 31st December, 1911, was £41,649. The sum expended on the purchase of buildings during the same period was £9,537. The total number of officers appointed under the Labour Exchanges Act up to that date was 1,287: and the total sum paid in salaries during the twenty-seven months October, 1909, to 31st December, 1911, was £205,493 17s. 9d. It was not possible to appoint these officers at the outset by the ordinary Civil Service examination, though a limited number were transferred from other posts, to which they had been appointed after such examination. Most of the officers appointed to the more responsible posts were, however, selected on the recommendation of an independent committee, presided over by the First Civil Service Commissioner. A system of appointment, on the recommendation of the Civil Service Commissioners, has now been put into force.
§ Sir C. KINLOCH-COOKEWhat is the limited number transferred?
§ Sir C. KINLOCH-COOKEasked what was the number of applications remaining on the Labour Exchange registers at the end of December, 1911, and what was the number at the end of January, 1912; for how many of these persons were positions found during the month of January and what proportion of those positions were given to persons registering in January; how many of the posts filled during January were for one week's engagement or less; and how many persons during that month were sent to situations in Government undertakings?
Mr. ROBERTSONThe number of applications remaining on the Labour Exchange registers (general and casual) at 29th December, 1911, was 64,016, and at 26th January, 1912, was 97,175. The number on the register at the end of December is seriously affected both by the Christmas holidays and by the engagement of men for temporary Christmas work. The number of vacancies filled from the general register during the four weeks ended 26th January, 1912, was 53,420, of which 12,065 were for engagements of less than a week's employment. In addition, 10,254 jobs were found for applicants on the casual register. The total number of vacancies filled in Government undertakings during the same four weeks was 1,666. It is not possible to give the number of vacancies filled by applicants registering in January.
§ Mr. HAROLD SMITHWhat proportion of the applicants got jobs?
Mr. ROBERTSONThe proportion can be worked out from these figures. If the hon. Member will put any specific question I will get the calculation made.
§ Mr. LANSBURYWould it be possible to get the ages of the men and women remaining on the register for whom no situations were found?
Mr. ROBERTSONThe number on the register on 29th December was 64,000. If I recollect rightly, 46,000 were men, 8,000 odd women, and the remainder boys and girls.
§ Mr. LANSBURYIt was the ages I was inquiring about.