§ 25. Mr. GROVESasked the Minister of Labour the number and the details of schemes for the relief of unemployment sanctioned for the three months ended 31st March, 1925; how many men were engaged under these schemes; and what are the average rates of pay?
§ The PARLIAMENTARY SECRETARY to the MINISTRY of LABOUR (Mr. Betterton)As the answer is necessarily 1341 long, I will, with the hon. Member's permission, circulate it in the OFFICIAL REPORT.
§ The following is the answer:
§ I assume that the hon. Member is referring to cases of direct financial
| Department. | Kind of Schemes. | Number Sanctioned. | Estimated Total Coat. |
| £ | |||
| Ministry of Transport. | Road and Bridge construction and improvement. | 98 | 1,868,565 |
| Unemployment Grants Committee. | Roads, Sewers, Gas, Water and Electricity Schemes, Work in Recreation Grounds and other works of public utility. | 569 | 5,228,268 |
| Ministry of Agriculture. | Land Drainage Schemes (Improving, Repairing, Cleansing, Main Water Courses) and Water Supply to groups of holdings. | 64 | 56,000 |
| Scottish Board of Agriculture. | Land Drainage, Water Supply and Road Improvement. | 366 | 46,035 |
| Forestry Commission. | Schemes of Afforestation (Planting, Scrub Clearing and Preparation of Ground for Planting. | 112 | 6,204 (Estimated Total Grants). |
§ It should be noted that a number of these schemes will not have commenced until after the 31st March. Particulars of the number of men employed on individual schemes are not available, but, according to returns received, the total numbers of men directly employed on works put in hand with Government assistance for the relief of unemployment on the dates given were as follows:—
| 31st January, 1925 | … | 109,399 |
| 28th February | … | 117,963 |
| 28th March | … | 117,097 |
§ In view of the varying nature and locality of the works I cannot give any average rate of pay.
§ 47. Lord HENRY CAVENDISH-BENTINCKasked the Prime Minister whether, in view of the evidence that unemployment will be acute this winter, the Government will undertake comprehensive national schemes for works of public utility in which skilled as well as unskilled labour will be appropriately employed, such works to be financed nationally and to be administered in local areas or groups of areas by the local authorities under such general control by the Government as may be found desirable; and, to this end, whether he will call conferences of local ^authorities to consider schemes of suitable work?
§ assistance, and not to such schemes as trade facilities and export credits. During the period, sanction was given by the Departments mentioned to the following numbers of schemes submitted by local authorities and others:—
§ Mr. BETTERTONI have been asked to reply. I would refer my Noble Friend to the reply, of which I am sending him a copy, given on 29th July to a similar question by the hon. Member for South-wark (South-East).