§ 8. Mr. DAYasked the Minister of Labour whether he has received copies of any resolutions passed by guardians in Great Britain asking that the Government should assume full financial responsibility for the maintenance of the unemployed able and willing to work; and what answers have been given to such requests?
§ The MINISTER of LABOUR (Sir Arthur Steel-Maitland)I have received from various boards of guardians in the country copies of resolutions on the sub- 967 ject mentioned by the hon. Member. The question raised in these communications is one of the general policy of the Government, which has been stated publicly in Debate in this House. I have, therefore, simply acknowledged the resolutions in question.
§ Mr. DAYMay I ask the right hon. Gentleman how many resolutions he has received from boards of guardians?
§ Sir A. STEEL-MAITLANDI cannot say off-hand, but, as the number is not large, I can easily enumerate them and give the number to the hon. Member.
§ Mr. LANSBURYIs it the policy of His Majesty's Government to put the responsibility for unemployment on the local authorities?
§ Sir A. STEEL-MAITLANDI am not sure that I quite understand the hon. Member's question, but I think that in any case it would be a question for Debate.
| NUMBERS on the Live Register of Employment Exchanges in certain Counties of Wales on 14th May, 1928. | ||||||||
| County. | Men. | Boys. | Women. | Girls. | Total. | |||
| Anglesey | … | … | … | 514 | 53 | 17 | 5 | 589 |
| Cardigan | … | … | … | 540 | 6 | 50 | 2 | 598 |
| Carnarvon | … | … | … | 1,189 | 23 | 98 | 20 | 1,330 |
| Denbigh | … | … | … | 2,582 | 153 | 187 | 127 | 3,049 |
| Flint | … | … | … | 1,821 | 347 | 85 | 218 | 2,471 |
| Merioneth | … | … | … | 274 | 7 | 8 | — | 289 |
| Montgomery | … | … | 360 | 8 | 129 | 11 | 508 |