HC Deb 11 July 1927 vol 208 cc1737-8
24. Mr. STEPHEN

asked the President of the Board of Trade the number of British seamen at present unemployed; the number of foreign seamen now serving on British ships registered in British ports; and the corresponding figures for 1924?

Sir B. CHADWICK

The answer is somewhat long and includes a table of figures. I propose, therefore, with the concurrence of the hon. Member, to circulate it in the OFFICIAL REPORT.

Mr. ERNEST BROWN

Do the figures show an increase or a decrease?

Sir B. CHADWICK

They show an increase here and a decrease there. I would require to read the whole answer in order to satisfy the hon. Member.

Lieut.-Commander KENWORTHY

Are there not only four sets of figures?

Sir B. CHADWICK

I can perhaps give it shortly. There are more than four figures. They are for the April-June quarter of 1927.

  • British employed other than Asiatics and Africans: 1924, 134,148; 1927, 143,202. That is an increase.
  • Foreigners employed other than Asiatics and Africans: 1924, 4,026; 1927, 3,640. That is a decrease.
  • Asiatics and Africans employed, British and foreign: 1924, 3,511; 1927, 3,741. That is an increase.

Following is the answer:

There are no particulars as to the number of seamen unemployed; but, according to the figures published by the Ministry of Labour, the number of insured persons in shipping service recorded as unemployed at the end of May, 1927, was 20,344 compared with 19,763 at the corresponding date in 1924.

Figures showing the numbers of British and foreign seamen employed at the present time in British ships are not available; but the following table shows the numbers engaged at Mercantile Marine offices in Great Britain and Northern Ireland during the three months ended 30th June in 1924 and 1927 respectively. These figures relate to engagements and not to individual seamen; if a person were engaged twice during the period he would be counted twice in the total. The figures for 1927 are provisional.

April-June Quarter.
Seamen engaged.
1924. 1927.
British other than Asiatics and Africans 134,148 143,202
Foreigners other than Asiatics and Africans 4,026 3,640
Asiatics and Africans, British and foreign 3,511 3,741
Total 141,685 150,583