40. Mr. DOYLEasked the Minister of, Health if he can give the number of schemes promoted by local authorities to find work for the unemployed; what sums of money have been sanctioned and expended by such schemes; how many people have been provided with work under them; how many schemes have been abandoned; what is the approximate benefit to the community; and what has been the rate of wages and hours adopted by such varying authorities?
§ The MINISTER of HEALTH (Sir Alfred Mond)Over 5,000 schemes have been submitted to the Unemployment Grants Committee, and of these, 3,557 schemes, representing a total cost of over £25,000,000, have been approved. Of the schemes submitted, 167 were abandoned by the local authorities. It is estimated that the work directly provided by the approved schemes equals about 1,000,000 men-months. It would not be possible, without very great labour, to ascertain exactly how much money has been expended up to date or the rates of wages paid and hours worked, which, of course, differ according to the locality. As my hon. Friend will observe, the schemes materially case the unemployment situation, especially when account is taken of the large amount of indirect labour to which they give employment, and, moreover, the labour is employed on works of public necessity and utility.