§ 26. Mr. A. WILLIAMSasked the Minister of Labour the number of unemployed registered at the Employment Exchanges on 1st April, and in particular the number of ex-service men so registered; and whether he can give an estimate of the total number of unemployed, both registered and unregistered, and also those working short time?
§ Sir M. BARLOWAt 24th March, the latest date for which figures are available, there were 1,413,751 persons on the live registers of Employment Offices totally unemployed, while in addition about 827,000 persons were claiming unemployment benefit or out-of-work donation in respect of systematic short-time working. The number of ex-service men included in the 1,413,751 was about 373,000, but owing to some ex-service men now being ire receipt of benefit under the Insurance Act of 1921 instead of under the out-of-work donation scheme, this figure is probably somewhat below the actual number unemployed.
As regards an estimate of the total numbers unemployed, the figure for total unemployment probably approximates fairly closely to the actual number, as, apart from civilians employed in agriculture and domestic service, practically every employed person is eligible for benefit. In the case of short time, how-ever, the figures given only apply to those working systematic short time in such a manner as to bring them within the scope of the Insurance Act. Persons having four or five days' work per week are not entitled to unemployment benefit.
§ 27. Mr. LYLEasked the Minister of Labour the number of unemployed on 1st April, 1921, as compared with the total on 1st January, 1st February and 1st March; and the respective totals of those in receipt of unemployment, pay?
§ Sir M. BARLOWAs the reply is in tabular form, perhaps my hon. Friend will permit me to circulate it in the OFFICIAL REPORT.
§ Following is the reply:
| — | Numbers of Men, Women, Boys and Girls on Live Registers of Employment Exchanges.* | Number of Persons in receipt of Unemployment Insurance or Out-of-Work Donation. | ||
| Totally Unemployed. | On Short Time. | |||
| 31st December, 1920 | … | 756,823 | 657,131 | 446,490 |
| 4th February, 1921 | … | 1,111,314 | 981,257 | 669,368 |
| 4th March, 1921 | … | 1,254,677 | 1,107,075 | 751,775 |
| 24th March, 1921 | … | 1,413,751 | l,263,000† | 827,000† |
| * Persons on short time are not included in these figures, | ||||
| †Preliminary and subject to revision. |