27. Mr. ROBINSONasked the Minister of Labour what is the number of men resident in the Elland Division of the West Riding of Yorkshire who have been accepted for training in the centres maintained by his Department; what is the total number of registered unemployed in the division; and whether he has any information as to the number of women who have been refused standard unemployed benefit, and the number of men and women, respectively, who have been refused extended benefit?
§ Sir A. STEEL-MAITLANDI assume the hon. Member refers to the centres for training young unemployed men. So far as information is available in my Department, there are no young men in training at these centres from the Elland Division. As regards the number of registered unemployed, statistics are available only in respect of the Employment Exchange at Brighouse and branch offices at Elland and Greetland. The number of persons on the registers of these offices at 15th March was 1,936. I cannot state the number of women who were refused standard benefit, but during the period 25th August. 1925, to 8th March, 1926, 486 applications for extended benefit from men and 169 from women were recommended for disallowance by the local employment committee for this area.
§ Mr. PALINGIn view of the fact that the right hon. Gentleman says these training centres have been so successful, is it his intention to continue them and to increase them?
§ Sir A. STEEL-MAITLANDCertainly, it is my hope that they may be continued. A regards their extension, there is the question of finance, and it is a question which would have to be considered by the Government generally. But as to the continuation of these centres, and their good effect, I think there is no doubt whatever.