§ 72. Sir K. WOODasked the Minister of Labour the number of persons at present directly engaged on work sanctioned by the Government and the cost involved?
§ Mr. LAWSONThe number of men directly employed on 26th September, the latest date for which figures are available, on all schemes approved on or after 1st June, 1929, is approximately 72,000. The estimated cost of the works on which these men were employed was £59,500,000.
§ Sir K. WOODI asked for the number of persons. The hon. Gentleman has told me the number of men. Have no women been directly employed as the result of the Government's efforts?
§ Mr. LAWSONMy right hon. Friend gave an answer last week. It is very possible that there are some women employed indirectly, but not directly.
§ Mr. D. G. SOMERVILLEDoes the Government anticipate employing any more men on this work
§ 74. Sir A. POWNALLasked the Minister of Labour how many individuals were employed on 1st August, 1930, directly and indirectly on schemes of employment initiated by the Government?
§ Mr. LAWSONThe number of men directly employed on 25th July, 1930, on all schemes assisted by the Ministry of Transport, the Ministry of Agriculture, and the Unemployment Grants Committee, and approved on or after 1st June, 1929, was 54,396. In addition there were the men directly employed on work authorised under Part I of the Development Act, under the Colonial Development Act, and under the emergency programmes of work put in hand by other Departments, the number of whom cannot be precisely stated. The number of persons indirectly employed is estimated to be about equal to the number of those directly employed.
§ 75. Sir A. POWNALLasked the Minister of Labour, of the 160,000 employed directly and indirectly on schemes of employment initiated by the Government, how many are directly and how many indirectly employed?
§ Mr. LAWSONThe figure of 160,000 included an allowance for development 1322 of schemes during the month of October. As regards the numbers directly and indirectly employed, I would refer the hon. Member to the reply given to the hon. Member for Norwich (Mr. Shakespeare) on 6th November.
§ Mr. LAWSONFrom the Department.
§ Mr. SHAKESPEAREAre the men employed under the Road Fund included in his scheme, and, if so, do the Government claim to have initiated the Road Fund
§ Mr. LAWSONI should like to have notice of that question.
§ Major COLVILLEIs not the figure of 160,000 approximately one-eighth of the total number who have become unemployed since the Government took office?