§ 88. Mr. H. WILLIAMSasked the Secretary for Mines if he can arrange to state in connection with the weekly output returns the number of men on the colliery books who were also registered as unemployed because they were temporarily stood off?
§ The SECRETARY for MINES (Colonel Lane-Fox)The weekly returns in question are made by the colliery owners, who would not know how many of the men on their books and temporarily stood off were in fact registered as unemployed. I will go into this further with the Minister of Labour to see if anything can be done to meet the hon. Member's suggestion.
§ Mr. WILLIAMSIs the right hon. Gentleman aware that apparently some 50,000 men are returned weekly in one return as being employed, and in another as being unemployed?
§ Colonel LANE-FOXNo, Sir. I was not aware that the discrepancy was so big as that, but I am going into the matter.