§ 23. Mr. HANNONasked the Minister of Labour whether he can explain the difference between the statistics of unemployment published every Wednesday in the newspapers and those published in the "Labour Gazette" seeing that, according to the figures published in the Press, the numbers unemployed on 1st May and 29th May, respectively, were 1,617,082 and 1,471,600, while in the "Labour Gazette" the figures given were 1,675,456 and 1,521,887, respectively?
§ Dr. MACNAMARAThe statistics of unemployment published monthly in the "Ministry of Labour Gazette," as stated in a footnote, relate to Great Britain and Northern Ireland. Those forwarded weekly to the Press relate to Great Britain only, and are so described. In order that the record may be complete, I am continuing to include the figures relating to Northern Ireland in the tables given in the "Ministry of Labour Gazette" until such time as the Northern Ireland Government is in a position to issue information on its own account, which, I understand, will be shortly.