34. Mr. T. THOMSONasked the Minister of Labour the number of bricklayers employed in 1913 and the number employed at the present time; the output of bricks in this country in 1913; and the rate of annual output at the present time?
§ Sir A. STEEL-MAITLANDThe number of bricklayers engaged in the building trade in Great Britain who were insured under the Unemployment Insurance Acts was 68,924 at December, 2209 1913, and 60,690 at July, 1922. Similar information relating to bricklayers engaged in other industries is not available, but according to the Census of population the total number of bricklayers in 1911 was 99,549, and in 1921 87,574. The comparability of these two figures may, however, be affected to some extent by changes in classification, I understand from my right hon. Friend the Minister of Health that reliable figures are not available for pre-war production of bricks, but that it was estimated that the average production for the three years prior to the war was 2,805 millions per annum. It is estimated that at the present time the output is at the rate of about 5,000 millions per annum.