§ 63. Mr. BAKERasked the Minister of Labour whether he will state the number of working hours lost through unemployment and under-employment in 1913, 1922 and 1923?
§ Mr. SHAWThe information in my possession does not enable me to state the total number of hours lost through unemployment and under-employment. I may say, however, that an examination of a representative number of claims to benefit made by insured workpeople during the period 2nd November, 1922, to 17th October, 1923, leads me to conclude that during this period of 11½ months the amount of unemployment ranking for benefit or "waiting periods" among the 11½ million insured workpeople in Great Britain was, approximately, 300 million days. No comparable information exists for earlier periods nor is it possible to measure the time lost by those who, though employed, were not working full time.
§ Sir VICTOR WARRENDERCan the right hon. Gentleman say how many hours have been lost by strikes?
§ Sir V. WARRENDERAm I to understand that the Government is to confer a Barony upon me?