§ 50. Mr. T. HENDERSONasked the Minister of Labour the number of unemployed persons in the sugar-refining industry at Greenock, Liverpool, and Silvertown for the months of October 1924, 1925, 1926, and 1927, respectively?
§ 51. Mr. BARNESasked the Minister of Labour the number of persons employed in the British sugar-refining industry, excluding beet-sugar factories, in October 1924, 1925, 1926, and 1927, respectively?
§ Sir A. STEEL-MAITLANDI regret that separate statistics of the numbers insured and the numbers unemployed in the sugar-refining industry are not available.
§ Mr. JOHNSTONWill the right hon. Gentleman not consider the advisability of issuing some official statement on this matter after making allowance for the number of men who have been employed in agriculture?
§ Sir A. STEEL-MAITLANDThe trouble is that one cannot sub-divide the occupations too much. Otherwise, one gets an interminable list. Here we have got a classification for other food industries of which beet-sugar is a comparatively small part.
§ Mr. HENDERSONHas the right hon. Gentleman's attention not been called to a statement made by the Council of Greenock giving the number of unemployed through the action of the Government?
§ Sir A. STEEL-MAITLANDPerhaps the hon. Member will give it to me.
§ Mr. HAYESHas the right hon. Gentleman asked the sugar refiners as to the number of men they have stopped or intend stopping?
§ Sir A. STEEL-MAITLANDIf the hon. Gentleman will give me any information he has received, I shall be glad to go into it.