§ 12. Mr. HAMMERSLEYasked the Minister of Labour the number of unemployed in the cotton-spinning industry during each month of the current year
§ Miss BONDFIELDAs the reply includes a table of figures, I will, if I may, circulate a statement in the OFFICIAL REPORT.
§ Mr. HAMMERSLEYWill the right hon. Lady tell me whether the figures for the last month, compared with the figures for the previous month, bear out the suggestion that there has been any reduction in the amount of unemployment?
§ Miss BONDFIELDI can read the two last lines of figures. In the card and blowing room section, on 25th August, the numbers were 5,097 men and 26,501 women, and on 22nd September, 5,391 men and 25,515 women, so that in that section there is obviously a reduction. In the spinning section the comparable figures are: 25th August, 28,576 men and 21,826 women, 22nd September, 28,193 men and 21,656 women. There has been in those cases a reduction.
§ Mr. HAMMERSLEYOn the whole, would it be true to say that there has been no reduction in the last month?
§ Miss BONDFIELDOn the contrary, there has been a reduction.
§ Following is the reply:
§ Statistics are not available showing the total numbers unemployed in all sections of the cotton spinning industry taken as a whole. The following table, however, shows the numbers of men and women classified as card and blowing room operatives, and cotton spinning department workers on the registers of Employment Exchanges in 57 of the principal cotton trade centres towards the end of each month from January to September of the current year.
Date. | Card and Blowing Room. | Spinning. | ||
Men. | Women. | Men. | Women. | |
27.1.30 | 2,214 | 12,228 | 13,725 | 11,297 |
24.2.30 | 2,676 | 15,456 | 16,430 | 13,426 |
24.3.30 | 2,929 | 17,367 | 18,437 | 14,455 |
28.4.30 | 2,733 | 18,462 | 19,925 | 15,963 |
26.5.30 | 4,500 | 24,959 | 25,985 | 20,297 |
23.6.30 | 4,948 | 26,030 | 26,961 | 22,418 |
21.7.30 | 4,993 | 26,903 | 29,658 | 22,447 |
25.8.30 | 5,097 | 26,501 | 28,576 | 21,826 |
22.9.30 | 5,391 | 25,515 | 28,193 | 21,656 |