§ 52. Mr. HARRISasked the Minister of Labour what new schemes, if any, have been initiated by the Government to provide work for the unemployed since they entered office, independent of or in conjunction with the local authorities; which of these new schemes are in operation; and how many men are employed under them?
§ Sir A. STEEL-MAITLANDI am having the information collected, and will send it to the hon. Member as soon as possible.
§ 53. Mr. HARRISasked the Minister of Labour how much public money has been spent by the Government in providing money for work for the unemployed either through grants from the Road Board, or 2252 through local authorities, or in any other form for the three months December, January, and February, 1924–25; how many men have been employed in work as a result of this expenditure; and how do these figures compare with the corresponding figures for December, January, and February, 1923–24?
§ Sir A. STEEL-MAITLANDAs the answer contains a number of figures, I will, with the hon. Member's permission, circulate it in the OFFICIAL REPORT.
§ Following is the answer:
| Unemployment Grants Committee. | Payments. | |
| Dec, 1923; Jan. and Feb., 1924. | Dec, 1924; Jan. and Feb., 1925. | |
| £ | £ | |
| (a) Schemes assisted by grants based on wages paid. | 166,780 | 179,650 |
| (b) Schemesassisted by grants towards Interest, or Interest and Sinking Fund Charges. | 181,552 | 417,264 |
§ Ministry of Transport.
§ The latest information at present available as to Government contributions paid through the Road Fund relates to the three months ended 31st December, 1924. Payments made during this period were, approximately, £1,026,000, as against £820,000 in the corresponding period of the previous year. The disbursements, however, do not bear any exact relation to the volume of employment in any given period.
§ Miscellaneous Schemes.
§ A number of Departments are concerned and particulars of expenditure in the months mentioned in the question are not at present available, but I will endeavour to obtain them if the hon. Member so desires.
§ Export Credits Scheme.
§ Guarantees in use or earmarked were as follows:
| £ | |
| 31st December, 1923 | 8,528,078 |
| 4th February, 1924 | 8,183,550 |
| 3rd March, 1924 | 8,142,136 |
| £ | |
| 29th December, 1924 | 4,967,720 |
| 2nd February, 1925 | 4,775,601 |
| 28th February, 1925 | 4,725,814 |
§ Guarantees under the Trade Facilities Acts, 1921 to 1924.
§ Total amount of guarantees as at
| £ | |
| 31st December, 1923 | 38,205,645 |
| 31st January, 1924 | 38,205,645 |
| 29th February, 1924 | 38,205,645 |
| 31st December, 1924 | 52,600,311 |
| 31st January, 1925 | 54,117,311 |
| 28th February, 1925 | 54,215,311 |
§ According to returns received, the total number of men directly employed on relief work were as follows, at the end of
| £ | |
| December, 1923 | 76,596 |
| January, 1924 | 89,047 |
| February, 1924 | 95,619 |
| December, 1924 | 103,261 |
| January, 1925 | 109,399 |
| February, 1925 | 118,234* |
| *Subject to revision. |