§ 19. Mr. LUMLEYasked the Minister of Labour the number of men employed in the motor industry at the end of June, 1923, and at the end of June, 1924, respectively?
§ Mr. SHAWThere are no statistics showing separately the number of persons employed in motor-car construction, either in 1923 or in 1924. The only available figures relate to workpeople insured against unemployment in a group of trades covering the construction and repair of motor-cars, motor lorries, motor omnibuses, motor cycles, pedal cycles and aircraft. These work-people numbered, approximately, 193,100 in Great Britain in July, 1923, 159,900 being men, 18 years of age or over. The corresponding total for 1924 will not be available until after the annual exchange of unemployment insurance books, which is not yet completed. I may add that in this group of trades the number of insured workpeople unemployed, which is ascertained monthly, was 18,118 at the end of June, 1923, and 13,470 at the end of June, 1924.
§ Mr. LUMLEYDoes the right hon. Gentleman remember saying last week that there were more people in employment in the motor-car industry at the end of June than in January of this year? If statistics were not available, on what did he base his statement?
§ Mr. SHAWOn the ground that unemployment is less now than it was at the beginning of this year, which was the statement I made.
§ Brigadier-General Sir HENRY CROFTIf the right hon. Gentleman has no statistics of those engaged in motor-car construction, have his figures any relevance; and would it not have been wise to ascertain the facts before he made his statement?
§ Mr. SHAWI did not make a statement about motor-car construction. What I said was that there were more people employed in the motor trade now than at the beginning of the year.
§ Mr. LUMLEYBefore making his statement last week, did the right hon. Gentleman take steps to find out what had happened in the motor-car industry?
§ Lieut.-Colonel Sir JOSEPH NALLIn saying that more men are now employed, did the right hon. Gentleman include all the various men engaged in washing, garaging, etc.?