§ 11. Viscount WOLMERasked the Lord Privy Seal how many men have gained employment by reason of the activities of his Department?
Mr. THOMASAs regards the numbers employed on unemployment relief works, I would refer the Noble Lord to the White Paper recently issued, and to the reply which I gave on the 29th April to the hon. Members for Willesden, East (Mr. D. G. Somerville), and for Moseley (Mr. Hannon), a copy of which I am sending him. As was stated in the White Paper, however, the promotion and assistance of these works forms only one aspect of the Government's unemployment policy. It is to the increased provision of ordinary industrial employment through the revival of our trade and industry that the Government attach primary importance. The Government are taking all possible steps to stimulate that revival, but it is not possible to state the result of their efforts in terms of numbers given employment or numbers kept from unemployment.
§ Viscount WOLMERDoes the right hon. Gentleman still say that this Government will be judged by their record in regard to unemployment?
Mr. THOMASI not only say that, but, when I look back on what took place under the last Government, I am quite happy in saying it.
§ Viscount WOLMERWill the right hon. Gentleman give the unemployment figures of a year ago?
§ Lieut.-Commander KENWORTHYCan my right hon. Friend give an estimate of what the extra number of unemployment would have been if this Government had not been in office?