§ 103. Major BARKERasked the Minister of Labour what is the number of persons 1043 registered as unemployed; and how does this number compare with the number on the same date in 1914?
§ The MINISTER of LABOUR (Dr. Macnamara)The number of persons on the Live Registers of Employment Exchanges at 16th April, 1920, was 359,139 (of whom 220,000 were ex-service men and women), compared with 106,472 at 17th April, 1914. The returns relating to members of trade unions show at the end of March, 1920, a percentage of 1.1 un-employed as compared with 2.2 at the end of March, 1914. The increase in the number on the Live Registers of Exchanges is largely accounted for by the greater use which is being made of Employment Exchanges at the present time, especially by demobilised members of the Forces. I may mention that during the eleven weeks ended 14th April, 133,000 were demobilised.