§ 26. Mr. RAMSBOTHAMasked the Minister of Labour the total loan commitments of the different local authorities of the country which have been incurred in connection with schemes for the relief of unemployment and for which State assistance has been received?
§ Miss BONDFIELDSince 1st June, 1929, loans have been sanctioned by the Ministry of Health in respect of expenditure on approved schemes of work for the relief of unemployment to the total of £31,190,968. In addition schemes have been approved by the Unemployment Grants Committee of an estimated total cost of £1,155,960, the loan sanctions in respect of which have still to be determined.
| — | Wholly Unemployed. | Temporarily Stopped. | Total. | |||
| Men 18–64 | … | … | … | 20,571 | 40,688 | 61,259 |
| Boys 16–17 | … | … | … | 664 | 2,244 | 2,908 |
| Women 18–64 | … | … | … | 55,985 | 79,229 | 135,214 |
| Girls 16–17 | … | … | … | 1,230 | 4,154 | 5,384 |
| Total | … | … | … | 78,450 | 126,315 | 204,765 |
| * Includes the counties of Lancashire, Cheshire, Cumberland, Westmorland and the New Mills and Glossop districts of Derbyshire. |
§ Colonel ASHLEYCan the Minister say, roughly, what resources have been found available by the local authorities?
§ Miss BONDFIELDNot without notice.
§ Captain CROOKSHANKHow does the Minister account for the fact that, in spite of this enormous programme, the number of unemployed has gone up by nearly 700,000?