HC Deb 19 May 1927 vol 206 cc1358-9
43. Mr. BATEY

asked the Minister of Labour the total number of miners unemployed in the county of Durham on 30th April, 1927?

The MINISTER of LABOUR (Sir Arthur Steel-Maitland)

At 25th April, 1927, the latest date for which figures are available, 33,702 persons classified as belonging to the coal-mining industry were recorded as unemployed in County Durham, including 1,647 temporarily stopped from the service of their employers.

Sir F. HALL

Is it not largely attributable to the advice tendered by the miners' leaders last year?

Mr. SPEAKER

Question Time is too much taken up with these argumentative interjections——

Sir F. HALL

Mr. Speaker——

Mr. SPEAKER

Will the hon. Member allow me to finish my sentence. I say that Question Time is too much taken up with argumentative interjections which are not in the nature of questions asking for information, and it is very hard on Members who have questions standing later on the Paper.

Mr. PALING

In view of the fact that a number of these pits have shut down and that a large proportion of these men will never be able to get work again in the county of Durham, are any steps being taken by the Ministry of Labour to get them transferred to other districts?

Mr. SPEAKER

The hon. Member should put that question down.