HC Deb 24 January 1929 vol 224 cc334-5
61. Mr. W. THORNE

asked the Minister of Labour what action has been taken, if any, in the case of William Porter, who, following a term of imprisonment, found that his State insurance cards and books had been endorsed by his former employer with the words "Convicted of Theft"?

Mr. BETTERTON

It is an offence against the regulations to mark the health insurance cards or unemployment books in this or any other way. The facts of the present case are being investigated by the Ministry of Health, and I cannot yet say what action will be taken.

Mr. THORNE

Can the hon. Gentleman say how we are going to make it known to employers that this is an illegal stamping of a man's card.

Mr. BETTERTON

That is the very matter which we are now investigating,

COMPARABLE STATISTICS OF UNEMPLOYMENT in respect of particular industries are only available from July, 1923. The following table gives the information desired as far as in is available.
Average Percentage Rates of Unemployment among Insured Persons in Great Britain.
Period of six months ended. All Industries. Shipbuilding and ship repairing. Pig iron. Steel melting and iron puddling furnaces, iron and steel rolling mills and forges. Coal mining. Canal, river, dock and harbour-service.
June, 1922 … 15.6 Comparable statistics not available.
December, 1922 … 12.6
June, 1923 … 11.7
December, 1923 … 11.4 43.3 13.3 21.0 2.9 24.4
June, 1924 … 10.0 28.8 12.7 18.7 3.2 25.2
December, 1924. … 10.4 29.9 16.1 24.1 8.3 26.0
June, 1925 … 11.0 32.2 18.6 24.3 13.8 30.5
December, 1925 … 11.0 36.7 22.9 25.5 18.0 29.4
June, 1926 … 11.3 37.4 32.7 33.1 9.3* 28.7
December, 1926 … 13.3 44.2 61.6 51.0 9.0* 31.5
June, 1927 … 9.8 28.2 14.5 17.3 17.2 26.1
December, 1927 … 9.5 21.6 14.4 19.8 19.3 23.0
June, 1928 … 10.0 22.3 14.6 20.4 19.8 29.3
December, 1928 … 11.5 30.4 19.0 22.6 24.6 31.7
* Exclusive of persons who were disqualified for unemployment benefit by reason of the dispute.