§ 26. Mr. BUCHANANasked the Minister of Labour the total number of local authorities who have applied to provide schemes of work for unemployed persons, 50 per cent. of whom are drawn from mining areas; the number of such schemes approved and their total estimated cost; and in how many cases work has actually started and what is the number of persons engaged in such work?
§ Sir A. STEEL-MAITLANDFifty-eight local authorities have made applications for grants on the new terms involving the employment of labour from depressed areas, in respect of 96 schemes, estimated to cost £1,689,000. Twenty-six schemes of a total estimated cost of £656,000 have been approved by the Committee. Work has begun on three of these schemes, on which 36 men 14 are employed. I should point out that it necessarily takes a considerable time to prepare these schemes, particularly if they are of any magnitude.
§ Mr. SHINWELLAre we to understand that the sum total of the right hon. Gentleman's efforts in this connection has been the employment of 36 men?
§ Sir A. STEEL-MAITLANDNo, Sir. That certainly does not appear from my answer.
§ Mr. PALINGIs the right hon. Gentleman aware that the Ministry of Health is turning down some of these schemes; and that there are local authorities in depressed areas, who would employ 100 per cent. of the unemployed miners, but, when they apply for loans for the part of the money which they have to find, they are turned down?
§ Sir A. STEEL-MAITLANDWill the hon. Member put down a question?
§ Mr. PALINGThis question has already been put to the Minister, and he has said that he can do nothing in regard to it.
§ Mr. BUCHANANHas the right hon. Gentleman taken any steps to expedite the putting in hand of the extra work, other than the employment of the 36 men mentioned?
§ Sir A. STEEL-MAITLANDThese schemes are being dealt with as quickly as possible so that the work may be put in hand, but of course the hon. Member will realise the value of these schemes is not only for employment at the immediate moment, but in order to assist permanent transfers, which must necessarily take months.
§ Mr. W. THORNEIs the right hon. Gentleman aware that a number of local authorities are absolutely refusing to carry out schemes because you are insisting upon 50 per cent. of the men being sent from the mining areas?
§ Sir A. STEEL-MAITLANDIf any local authorities wish to make representations to me they can do so; but the object of these terms is to promote transfers.
§ Mr. SHINWELLHow many men have been employed as a result of these schemes?
§ Sir A. STEEL-MAITLANDI have already said it.
§ Mr. SHINWELLDid the right hon. Gentleman not say 36; and is not that precisely what I said?
§ Mr. LUNNIs not the object of these schemes to provide work; and, if the condition could be removed as to 50 per cent. from the depressed areas, are there not many local authorities who would find work for men and who cannot do so to-day because of these restrictions?
§ Mr. PALINGAre we to take it from the right hon. Gentleman's answer, that in such cases as I have indicated, if the local authorities care to submit the facts of the situation to him, he will reconsider the matter?
§ Sir A. STEEL-MAITLANDI cannot give any undertaking of that kind at all. If there are any schemes which come within the ambit of the actual terms which have been promulgated, then, of course, they can be put before the St. Davids Committee and considered on their merits. I am not aware of the nature of the question put by my hon. Friend or of the reply.
§ Mr. PALINGMay we take it that, in such cases, if the question is submitted to the right hon. Gentleman, he will confer with the Ministry of Health, in order to try to get over this difficulty?
§ Sir A. STEEL-MAITLANDI shall be glad to confer with the Ministry of Health on any matter.
§ Mr. THORNEIs the right hon. Gentleman making provision for finding work for Ministers after June?
§ 27. Mr. BUCHANANasked the Minister of Labour the number of persons who have been transferred to the city of Glasgow to jobs from distressed mining areas, and the nature of the work provided?
§ Sir A. STEEL-MAITLANDFigures are not available for the period prior to 6th October. From that date to the end of December, 102 men from the depressed mining areas were placed in employment in the areas covered by the Glasgow Exchanges. Most of these men obtained employment as general or builder's labourers, but others secured work as miners, joiners, engineers, pattern makers, moulders and rubber spreaders.
§ Mr. BUCHANANWhy has the right hon. Gentleman transferred 102 men to this area, seeing that the number of unemployed already in the area is, admittedly, extremely high?
§ Sir A. STEEL - MAITLANDThe answer is quite simple. It is not at all the same as transferring men from South Wales or Durham to the South East of England. These areas, though classified as distressed mining areas, are really in the same economic area as Glasgow, and can properly be treated as a whole. There is naturally a certain amount of coming and going between them. In most of these areas the position happens to be worse than in Glasgow and it is obvious that the balance of transfer therefore should be to Glasgow.
§ Mr. J. JONESWhy arc miners being transferred to Silvertown when we already have our hands full to deal with unemployment in that area?
§ Mr. BUCHANANIs the right hon. Gentleman aware that local authorities who are responsible for keeping the poor and the unemployed view this proposal with alarm, because in many cases, after a few weeks' work, these miners are left chargeable to the local authorities.
§ Sir A. STEEL-MAITLANDI am not aware of any representations from the local authorities with regard to these 102 men. I am not quite sure of the Poor Law in Scotland, as compared with England, but I believe it is the same, and, therefore, the last part of the hon. Member's objection need not arise.
§ Mr. CECIL WILSONIs the right hon. Gentleman aware that the number on the Sheffield register is nearly 4,000 more than it was twelve months ago and that they cannot get these schemes through?