§ 37. Mr. HARRISasked the Minister of Labour whether it is possible to give the figures of the number of unemployed persons on the live register for the borough of Bethnal Green at the latest available date; if not, whether he will have a special inquiry made as to the amount of unemployment in that borough, as the present system of including the figures with those for Hackney, Shore-ditch and Stepney deprives persons resident in that borough of the advantages which go to districts with a high percentage of unemployment?
§ Sir A. STEEL-MAITLANDThe Metropolitan Borough of Bethnal Green includes parts of the areas served by the Employment Exchanges in Shoreditch, Stepney, Hackney and Stratford, and it is not possible, except by way of an approximate estimate, to give the number of unemployed persons resident in Bethnal Green. I am not aware that the absence of precise statistics for this borough deprives persons resident therein of advantages which they would otherwise obtain.
§ Mr. HARRISIs the right hon. Gentleman aware that, owing to the circumstances to which I have drawn attention, men living in Bethnal Green are deprived of advantages which go to men in Ber-mondsey, Poplar and Deptford, and that, in connection with many jobs for which they make application to the London County Council and other authorities, they are refused work, because they are supposed to live in a district where unemployment is low, although it is really higher than in some other boroughs?
§ Sir A. STEEL-MAITLANDWhile I cannot answer for the action of the London County Council, I am quite sure 1757 that they are well aware of the particular conditions in Bethnal Green, even though statistics for the different places cannot be distributed.
§ Mr. HARRISIs the list of addresses where all the registered unemployed live available?
§ Sir A. STEEL-MAITLANDThe tabulation of these different statistics would cause infinite trouble.
§ Mr. LANSBURYIs the Minister aware that the same conditions as to registering apply to Poplar, and we are able to get our numbers?
§ Sir A. STEEL-MAITLANDIt is a question of how the statistics are kept. As everyone familiar with them knows, if they are kept in areas, an area can be tabulated, but, if it is a question of dividing up areas, then you begin to com-plicate matters so much that it causes a great deal of extra trouble and expense. If the trouble and expense were worth it, it would be done, but, in this case, I do not see from the hon. Member's own point of view that it would be worth it.
§ Mr. HARRISDoes not the right hon. Gentleman realise that it would be worth it, that these men have been trying for jobs and feel bitter because men coming from other parts of the country are getting the jobs?
§ Sir A. STEEL-MAITLANDIf the hon. Member will give me any cases, I will look into them.