§ 6. Mr. KELLYasked the Minister of Labour the number of men, boys and girls who have been transferred from distressed areas to work in the London area during the last four months?
§ Miss BONDFIELDBetween 25th June, 1929, and 21st October, 1,287 men from depressed areas were placed by Employment Exchanges in vacancies in the area of Greater London. I regret that statistics for boys and girls for the same area are not immediately available. I will ascertain them and forward them to my hon. Friend.
§ Mr. KELLYIs money drawn from funds outside Government sources for the maintenance of these people when they are brought to London?
§ Miss BONDFIELDThere is a certain arrangement by which the Lord Mayor's Fund contributes towards the amount paid to lads who are brought away from their home district to other districts. That, I think, has already been explained. I will send the hon. Member a copy of the conditions.
§ Mr. THURTLEIs the right hon. Lady aware that this policy of bringing men from other areas into London is accentuating both the unemployment and the overcrowding problems?
§ Miss BONDFIELDI cannot accept that as a general statement. I believe that in certain areas overcrowding is intense, and that it would scarcely be possible for other persons to come in; but, taking Greater London, which is the area under consideration, as a whole, it is perfectly obvious from the figures that the absorptive capacity of London has not reached its limits.
§ Captain CROOKSHANKDoes the right hon. Lady now agree that her predecessor's policy with regard to transference was right?
§ Miss BONDFIELDI think the hon. and gallant Member is perhaps not aware that there has been no difference at all with regard to my attitude.
§ Mr. HARRISHas the right hon. Lady received a request to meet a deputation from the London County Council, who are desirous of putting before her some of the difficulties which have arisen from bringing the unemployed from other areas?
§ Miss BONDFIELDYes, and of course I shall receive the deputation.
Mr. MACLEANArising out of the reply given to the hon. and gallant Member for Gainsborough (Captain Crookshank), is the right hon. Lady expressing her own opinion or the opinion of the Government?
§ Mr. HORE-BELISHAAre we to understand that this charitable fund, the Lord Mayor's Fund, subscribed for an entirely different purpose, is being used to subsidise transferred labour against the interests of the local unemployed in a district?
§ Mr. SPEAKERThat question does not arise out of the answer.
§ Mr. HORE-BELISHAThat was the statement in the answer.
§ 20. Mr. DUNCAN MILLARasked the Minister of Labour whether she is aware of the dissatisfaction expressed by many local authorities with the condition as to the transfer of labour from other areas which is at present attached to unemployment relief schemes in areas where there are already a substantial number of local unemployed; and whether she will be prepared to withdraw this condition, which has already been relaxed in certain cases, until all the local unemployed have first been absorbed, and to afford to local authorities in such areas the advantage of the full financial terms at present applicable to transfer schemes?
§ Miss BONDFIELDNo area in which there is a substantial number of unemployed is asked to give employment on relief schemes to men from the depressed mining areas. The requirement that the number of such men should be 50 per cent. of the total number employed is not a rigid one, and there is power to modify the percentage in the light of local circumstances, particularly the need for providing relief for local unemployment. I am afraid I cannot agree to the suggestion that the higher rate of grant applicable to transfer cases should be given where no corresponding obligation is incurred.
§ Mr. MILLARDoes not the Minister of Labour consider that it is desirable that a proportion of the local unemployed should be employed first before introducing transferred labour, and that the terms of transferred labour should be applicable to all such cases?
§ Miss BONDFIELDIt is not possible to lay down any hard and fast rule. Every case has to have its circumstances considered. If I may be permitted to enlarge upon that reply, I would like to explain that in certain areas there may be for the moment a very large number of unemployed on the register when we know for certain that many of them will start work again the following week. Therefore, the situation would be entirely falsified if we regarded that area as a distressed area.
§ Mr. MILLARIs it not better that the local authority should be put in a position to employ their own local unemployed in the first instance?
§ Miss BONDFIELDI agree.
§ Mr. MILLARThere is a very strong feeling on this question.
§ Sir KINGSLEY WOODIs there any truth in the statement that this scheme has broken down in Scotland?
§ Miss BONDFIELDI do not know to what the right hon. Gentleman refers.
§ Mr. HASLAMArising out of the right hon. Lady's reply as to the elastic nature of the conditions applying to the importation of labour, is the effect to reduce the grant if the amount of imported labour is reduced?
§ Miss BONDFIELDWhere there is no transfer of labour they do not get the special terms which are definitely connected with the obligation to employ transferred labour.
§ 10. Sir ASSHETON POWNALLasked the Minister of Labour what are the extensions in the transference scheme; what it is expected they will cost; and what are the modifications which will make the scheme more elastic?
§ Miss BONDFIELDThis is a matter which cannot be dealt with adequately in reply to a Parliamentary question. The House will have an early opportunity of debating the matter.