§ 8. Mr. HANNONasked the Minister of Labour the numbers of unemployed in the iron and steel trades at the latest date for which returns are available?
§ Miss BONDFIELDAt 26th May, 1930 the number of insured persons, aged 16 to 64, classified as belonging to the iron and steel industries (including pig iron manufacture, steel melting, iron and steel rolling and forging, etc.) recorded as unemployed in Great Britain was 58,194.
§ Mr. HANNONHaving regard to the significance of this fall in the figures, is the right hon. Lady making any representations to her colleagues in the Government to take definite steps to safeguard the steel industry, in order to prevent this rise in unemployment?
§ Mr. ARTHUR MICHAEL SAMUELIs the right hon. Lady surprised in view of the fact that we are importing £3,000,000—[Interruption.]