§ 82. Mr. AUSTEN CHAMBERLAINasked what number of men are engaged in the needle trade in making hubs and dies, and what has been the average of unemployment among them for the last five years?
Mr. ROBERTSONInformation is not available with regard to the particular occupations mentioned by the right hon. Gentleman, but from the monthly Reports published in the Board of Trade "Labour Gazette" it appears that employment in the needle trade at Redditch has fallen off slightly during the last six months, although it is still described as "fairly good. "In the rest of the last five years it has followed the course of trade generally, being quiet in 1908, fair in 1909, and good throughout 1910 and 1911 and up to April of this year. No statistics can be given as to the number of persons employed in making hubs and dies or as to the percentage unemployed among them.