31. Mr. TREVELYAN THOMSONasked the Minister of Labour the total number of those engaged in the various branches of the building trade who are registered as unemployed at the Employment Exchanges at the present time, and the weekly amount of unemployed benefit which they are drawing?
§ The MINISTER of LABOUR (Dr. Macnamara)The number of persons in the building trades of the United Kingdom registered at Employment Exchanges as unemployed at 31st January was 176,119, of whom 100,752 were labourers. The estimated amount of unemployment benefit drawn in respect of the week ended 31st January was about £105,000.
Mr. THOMSONWill the right hon. Gentleman consider whether it would be more economical that these men should be building houses than that they should 1884 be drawing unemployment pay; and if so, will he make representations to his colleague the Minister of Health accordingly?
§ Dr. MACNAMARAI do not think that arises.