HC Deb 12 February 1924 vol 169 cc724-5
30. Mr. CLIMIE

asked the Minister of Labour the number of men unemployed in each month of the last three months of 1923, and the number whose unemployment books were out during that period in the following trades: carpenters, bricklayers, masons, slaters and painters?

The MINISTER of LABOUR (Mr. Thomas Shaw)

As the reply is necessarily lengthy, and contains a considerable number of figures, I will, with my hon. Friend's permission, circulate it in the OFFICIAL REPORT.

Following is the statement:—

ESTIMATED numbers of persons insured against unemployment in certain occupations in the Building Industry in Great Britain at October, 1923, and numbers of unemployment books lodged at Employment Exchanges at the end of October, November and December. 1923.
Occupations. Estimated Numbers of persons in these occupations, in the Building Industry, insured against unemployment Numbers of these Books were persons whose Unemployment Books were lodged at Exchanges at
22nd October, 26th November, 21st December,
1923. 1923. 1923.
(1) (2) (3) (4) (5)
Carpenters 122,620 4,287 4,554 4,915
Bricklayers 56,260 771 956 1,150
Masons 21,880 531 659 757
Slaters 5,090 202 218 271
Painters 105,780 17,699 24,651 28,116

It should be specially noted that these figures relate only to persons of these occupations in the building trade. The figures do not include the persons in these occupations (whose numbers in total are considerable) outside the building trade (e.g., in shipyards, or as maintenance men in establishments outside the building trade); figures with regard to these persons, corresponding to those given above, are not available

The figures in the column (2) are based on an estimate obtained by taking the total number of insured persons engaged in the building industry in 1923, and applying to that total the occupational ratios derived from the exchange of unemployment books which took place in the third quarter of 1922.