HC Deb 06 December 1928 vol 223 cc1399-401
60. Lieutt.-Commander KENWORTHY

asked the Minister of Lancashire, and West Riding of Yorkshire municipal authorities at Manchester on 30th November, disapproving of the revised terms of grants offered in the circular letter of the Unemployed Grants Committee of

the information desired by my hon. Friend but I will circulate a statement in the OFFICIAL REPORT as soon as it is ready.

62. Dr. VERNON DAVIES

asked the Minister of Labour if he will furnish statistics showing, respectively, for the cotton-woollen textile industries and all industries taken together, the number of men over 18 insured; the number of women over 18 insured; the numbers in each of those classes unemployed; and the ratios between the figures relating to men and women, insured and unemployed, respectively, for half-yearly periods over the last three years?

Mr. BETTERTON

As the reply includes a number of figures, I will, with my hon. Friend's permission, circulate a statement in the 'OFFICIAL REPORT.

Following is tire statement:

9th November, 1928, and urging the Government to reinstate the terms of grant which existed prior to December, 1925; and what reply he is sending?

66. Mr. HAMMERSLEY

asked the Minister of Labour whether, in view of the distress in the depressed areas, he will consider raising the terms of the grant offered by the Government towards the cost of approved works of public utility to the level of the terms which existed prior to December, 1925?

Mr. BETTERTON

The financial terms offered under the Unemployment Grants scheme prior to the circular letter of December, 1925, were not altered by that letter and remain available. What that letter did was to confine the grants strictly to areas with exceptional unemployment and to works substantially accelerated, and there appears to be no sufficient reason why a change should now be made in either of these respects. The new terms of grant specified in the circular letter of 9th November, 1928, are not applicable to areas with exceptional unemployment, and in no way alter the terms which are applicable to those areas.

Lieut.-Commander KENWORTHY

Is the hon. Gentleman aware that the worst hit areas will feel these financial terms very oppressive, and will he have this matter reconsidered if I give him specific instances from, for example, my own constituency, where we find the proposal in the letter very oppressive for works of public utility in the district?

Mr. BETTERTON

That is not the question on the Paper. I cannot agree with the hon. and gallant Gentleman that these necessitous areas will find this letter oppressive.

Several HON. MEMBERS rose

—

Mr. SPEAKER

That is starting a different hare.