§ 20. Sir KINGSLEY WOODasked the Minister of Labour whether, in view of the fact that the number of persons recorded on the registers of Employment Exchanges in Great Britain on 9th June were more numerous than those for the 1309 previous week, he can state the increase in the number of such unemployed; and what steps he is taking to provide them with employment?
§ The MINISTER of LABOUR (Mr. Shaw)The number registered as unemployed on 9th June was 24,600 more than on 2nd June. There was a further increase of 25,000 on 16th June and a decrease of 39,000 on 23rd June. There is therefore no reason to conclude that the increases were other than temporary and in any event the steps taken by the Government to relieve unemployment cannot be related to the individuals thrown out of work in a particular week.
§ Sir K. WOODCan the right hon. Gentleman give me a little more detailed reply to the last part of the question is he taking any further steps to provide for these unemployed people?
§ Mr. SHAWIt is absolutely impossible to take steps to relieve unemployment in any particular week. The steps that the Government take must be to deal with the whop volume of unemployment, and not simply those who have been unemployed for a week.
§ Mr. SEXTONWill the Minister of Labour inform the House what steps the Government, of which the hon. Member opposite was a supporter, did under similar circumstances?
§ Mr. P. HARRISIn previous years has there not been a steady decrease in the number of unemployed in the midsummer months, June and July? What has caused the increase in June this year. [HON. MEMBERS: "McKenna Duties!"]
§ Mr. SHAWThe increases are mainly due to the stoppage of certain factories in Lancashire, and another part of the increase is due to unemployment in the engineering trades in the Midlands [HON. MEMBERS: "McKenna Duties!"] As far as my information goes, of the 49,600 increase in the fortnight, 500 persons were registered as belonging to the motor industry.
§ Major COLFOXHas the right hon. Gentleman discovered any of the rabbits
§ Mr. PRINGLEIs not there a decrease this week?
32. Mr. TREVELYAN THOMSONasked the Minister of Labour if he will give particulars of the number of unemployed at the end of December, 1922, January, 1923, and May and June, 1923, and for corresponding periods December, 1923, January, 1924, and May and June, 1924?
§ Mr. SHAWAs the reply contains a number of figures, I will, with the hon. Member's permission, circulate it in the OFFICIAL REPORT.
§ Following is the answer:
§ The numbers of persons on the registers of Employment Exchanges in Great Britain at the end of the months mentioned were:
| December, 1922 | 1,381,612 |
| January, 1923 | 1,435,642 |
| May, 1923 | 1,252,340 |
| June, 1923 | 1,223,152 |
| December, 1923 | 1,285,623 |
| January, 1924 | 1,320,518 |
| May, 1924 | 1,015,626 |
| 23rd June, 1924 | 1,013,500 |