§ 18. Mr. WARDLAW-MILNEasked the Minister of Labour what effect the application of the Safeguarding of Industries Act has had in the reduction of unemployment in the trades affected?
§ The MINISTER of LABOUR (Sir Arthur Steel-Maitland)In order to make a proper comparison as to employment and unemployment in the industries affected, my hon. Friend will realise that it would be necessary to take the relative figures over periods of at least a year, that is, for the past year, and for the year prior to the imposition of the duty. The general inflation of unemployment, however, during the coal dispute makes it impossible to use the figures for the past year for purposes of comparison.