§ 39. Mr. D. G. SOMERVILLEasked the Minister of Labour if any statistics have been compiled or are compilable showing the average length of time during which highly-skilled workers have been unemployed since the War; and whether his Department has considered the concentration of its efforts on providing, otherwise than by unemployment pay, against the deterioration of their ability as a result of enforced idleness?
§ Sir M. BARLOWStatistics showing the average duration of unemployment are not available, though it is known generally that in a number of cases individuals, some of them belonging to skilled trades, have been unemployed for
| STATEMENT showing, for the 20 Poor Law Unions in England and Wales having in February last the greatest number (proportionately to population) of unemployed persons in receipt of outdoor relief, the total amount of outrelief, and the amount of relief to persons ordinarily employed (included therein) paid by the Board of Guardians during the weeks ending 7th, 14th and 21st April, 1923: | ||||||
| Name of Poor Law Union. | Week ending 7th April, 1923. | Week ending 14th April, 1923. | Week ending 21st April, 1923. | |||
| Total amount of out-relief. | Amount (included in previous column) of relief to persons ordinarily employed. | Total amount of out-relief. | Amount (included in previous column) of relief to persons ordinarily employed. | Total amount of out-relief. | Amount (included in previous column) of relief to persons ordinarily employed. | |
| 1. | 2. | 3. | 4. | 5. | 6. | 7. |
| £ | £ | £ | £ | £ | £ | |
| Barrow-in-Furness | 1,214 | 1,016 | 1,643 | 1,444 | 2,273 | 2,073 |
| Bedwellty | 5,114 | 3,241 | 5,933 | 4,068 | 4,704 | 3,783 |
| Bermondsey | 4,265 | 2,430 | 4,759 | 2,912 | 5,068 | 3,200 |
| Birmingham | 11,673 | 9,187 | 16,046 | 13,529 | 17,898 | 15,373 |
| Bootle | 215 | 126 | 213 | 124 | 248 | 158 |
| Crickhowell | 478 | 300 | 503 | 349 | 639 | 362 |
| Dartford | 1,902 | 1,369 | 2,568 | 2,005 | 2,946 | 2,395 |
| Eccleshall Bierlow | 2,350 | 1,758 | 4,063 | 3,461 | 4,341 | 3,722 |
| Greenwich | 4,790 | 3,339 | 5,796 | 4,347 | 5,901 | 4,448 |
| Ipswich | 1,074 | 794 | 1,748 | 1,453 | 1,807 | 1,508 |
| Lincoln | 1,254 | 701 | 2,335 | 1,644 | 2,315 | 1,761 |
| Limehouse | 1,355 | 1,159 | 1,514 | 1,304 | 1,489 | 1,280 |
| Middlesbrough | 2,885 | 1,380 | 3,103 | 1,604 | 3,944 | 2,470 |
| Newcastle-upon-Tyne | 5,371 | 2,833 | 7,874 | 5,294 | 11,036 | 8,418 |
| Poplar Borough | 11,432 | 8,309 | 12,322 | 9,200 | 13,361 | 10,238 |
| Sheffield | 8,288 | 6,460 | 11,491 | 9,617 | 13,730 | 11,861 |
| South Shields | 3,202 | 1,624 | 3,540 | 2,041 | 4,085 | 2,546 |
| Stockton | 1,295 | 681 | 2,576 | 1,969 | 2,569 | 1,962 |
| West Ham | 23,672 | 16,148 | 25,496 | 17,967 | 26,633 | 19,082 |
| Walsall | 1,389 | 719 | 1,845 | 1,124 | 2,400 | 1,657 |
§ long periods. The deterioration of skill owing to enforced idleness can only be prevented by means of employment in the men's own trades. The Government, therefore, have steadily kept in mind the desirability of stimulating the revival of normal industry by such measures as the Trade Facilities Act and the Export Credits Scheme.