§ 32 Mr. LUMLEYasked the Minister of Labour (1) the number of persons employed on schemes sanctioned by the Unemployment Grants Committee on 21st January and 21st April, respectively, of this year;
(2) the number of men employed on road schemes for the relief of unemployment on 21st January and 21st April, respectively, of this year;
(3) the number of persons employed on Government schemes for the relief of unemployment, other than road schemes and schemes sanctioned by the Unemployment Grants Committee, on 21st January and 21st April, respectively, of this year?
§ Mr. SHAWI propose, as the answer involves a table of figures, to circulate the information in the OFFICIAL REPORT.
§ Mr. BETTERTONDo these schemes include any schemes for which provision was not made prior to January this year?
§ Mr. SHAWI understand that a discussion on this matter will take place on the Vote for the Minister's salary, and I think hon. Members may restrain their belligerent ardour till then.
§ Sir W. JOYNSON-HICKSKnowing our grave anxiety on this matter, will the right hon. Gentleman promise in that Debate to give us the figures for which we have repeatedly asked?
§ Mr. SHAWI will, in that Debate, give all the figures I know, including the number of men employed now more than under the late Government, the steps that have been taken throughout and every other piece of information I can get.
§ Mr. LUMLEYIn view of the fact that I put three questions down and that each only requires two figures, could not the right hon. Gentleman give us the figures now?
§ Mr. D. G. SOMERVILLEDo we understand that, in this Debate, the Minister is going to release this secret of how unemployment is going to be cured?
§ Mr. PRINGLEOn a point of Order. Is it in order for a Minister, when three simple questions are put, which can be answered very shortly, to lump them together, so as to make a long answer, and thereby suggest that it should be circulated?
§ Mr. SPEAKERI have enough to do without controlling Ministers. If hon. Members wish to have a long answer read at the expense of later questions I do not doubt the Minister will give the figures.
§ Mr. PRINGLEYou have laid down regulations as to the number of questions which a Member may put. If he uses his right to break up a question into three separate parts so as to get an oral answer is it in order for the Minister further to restrict the rights of the Member to get an oral answer by putting three questions together?
§ Mr. SPEAKERI have said it is not a question of order, but of the convenience of the House. I do not doubt that the Minister will meet the desire of the House.
§ Mr. SHAWread the answer prepared, as follows: So far as Returns have been received by my Department, the numbers of men directly employed on the 25th January, 1924 and the 25 April, 1924 (or nearest available dates), are:
| 25th January. | 25th April. | |
| 1. Road Schemes assisted by the Ministry of Transport. | 17,050 | 17,078 |
| 2. Schemes assisted by the Unemployment Grants Committee. | 41,551 | 47,161 |
| 3. Schemes of Land Drainage and Water Supply (Ministry of Agriculture and Scottish Board of Agriculture). | 4,130 | 7,014 |
| 4. Schemes of Afforestation | 1,710 | 2,274 |
| 5. Schemes guaranteed under the Trade Facilities Acts. | 27,676 (Dec. 31st, 1923). | 33,569 (March 31st, 1924). |
| 6. Miscellaneous | 476 | 1,166 |
| 92,593 | 108,262 | |
| Increase = 15,669 |
§ Item I does not include the number of men employed on works of road maintenance or ordinary road improvement, but includes (as does also Item 2) men temporarily "stood off." All the above figures are exclusive of men who are employed indirectly, for example, in the preparation and transport of materials.