HC Deb 08 November 1928 vol 222 cc218-9
46. Mr. HORE-BELISHA

asked the Prime Minister what response there has been to his circular to employers asking them to retain and engage as many men as possible?

49. Mr. RILEY

asked the Prime Minister if he has any information as to the response to his appeal to employers of labour to take on additional workers; and, if so, whether he can state approximately the number of workers who have received employment as a consequence of his appeal to employers?

The MINISTER of LABOUR (Sir Arthur Steel-Maitland)

I have been asked to reply. I am glad to say that many employers have responded to the appeal and, as opportunity has offered in the course of their business, have given employment to men and boys from the depressed areas. For some time the Exchanges have been transferring weekly about 600 men and boys from those areas and, in addition, many others from those areas obtain employment through their own initiative. I hope that employers will continue to an increasing extent to give the Employment Exchanges an opportunity of submitting men from the depressed areas.

Mr. HORE-BELISHA

Can the right hon. Gentleman give me any figures, and if what he has said is the case, can he explain why unemployment is increasing?

Sir A. STEEL-MAITLAND

I can certainly give the hon. Member a statement as to the amount of transference there has been. If he asks me why unemployment is increasing, or has increased during the last week or two, I can hardly give it to him within the limits of an ordinary Parliamentary answer.

Mr. HORE-BELISHA

But I have asked the question. I have asked what response there has been, and I would like some figures?

Sir A. STEEL-MAITLAND

If the hon. Member will give me notice, I will give him the figure. I cannot give it from memory at the moment—that is, the number that have been transferred over a period of time—but I will certainly get it and give the information either as an answer or in the course of debate in the next few days.

Mr. MACLEAN

I should like to ask the right hon. Gentleman whether the fact that there are more unemployed to-day in the country according to his own figures does not show that these 600 per week are not being found new situations, but are really taking the places of other individuals who have been dismissed?

Mr. SNOWDEN

Are we to assume that, those 600 transfers to which the right hon. Gentleman refers are for jobs which have been created in response to the Prime Minister's letter?

Sir A. STEEL-MAITLAND

Those transfers are to definite situations.

Mr. RILEY

Is the right hon. Gentleman not aware that since this appeal was issued there are over 200,000 more unemployed than at the time it was issued; and has he not come to the conclusion that appeals of this kind are undignified on the part of a Government as a method of solving this problem?

Sir A. STEEL-MAITLAND

No, Sir.

Mr. SHINWELL

Is it not a fact that the transfer of these- men, as far as it exists, arises from the report and recommendations of the Industrial Transference Board which reported to this House before the Prime Minister's letter to the Press was published?

Viscountess ASTOR

Does the right hon. Gentleman not think that there is more chance of getting employment now that labour has decided to work with capital?