§ 7. Mr. McSHANEasked the Minister of Labour if she will give the total number of women registered as unemployed in Birmingham during each week in January last?
§ Miss BONDFIELDAs the reply includes a number of figures, I will circulate a statement in the OFFICIAL REPORT.
§ Mr. McSHANEI should like to ask the right hon. Lady whether she is aware that, notwithstanding the large numbers of women who are unemployed at Birmingham, young women from my constituency are being sent there to domestic service, and whether it is not really foolish, with such large numbers on the Birmingham register, that women from my constituency should be sent there. With great respect, Mr. Speaker, I want an answer.
§ Mr. SPEAKERI cannot allow answers on a matter of opinion.
§ Mr. McSHANEIt is a matter of common sense, Mr. Speaker.
§ Following is the statement:
§ Number of women on the registers of Employment Exchanges in the Birmingham area* on each Monday in January, 1931.
| Date. | Number. | ||
| 5th January | … | … | 19,556 |
| 12th January | … | … | 18,763 |
| 19th January | … | … | 18,972 |
| 26th January | … | … | 19,125 |
| * Comprising the area served by the following Employment Exchanges: Birmingham Central, Aston, Handsworth, Sparkhill, Selly Oak and Washwood Heath. |
§ 9. Mr. McSHANEasked the Minister of Labour if she will give the number of women disallowed benefit by the Walsall Court of Referees during the past three months and the reasons for their disallow- 557 ance; and how many have been disallowed for refusal to enter domestic service or Army and Navy canteens?
§ Miss BONDFIELDAs the reply includes a table of figures, I will circulate a statement in the OFFICIAL REPORT.
§ Following is the statement:
§ Claims to benefit made by women disallowed by the Walsall Court of Referees during the period 14th October, 1930, to 12th January, 1931. Separate statistics of the number of claims disallowed on the ground that the claimants had refused domestic service or work in Army and Navy Canteens are not available.
| Ground of Disallowance. | Number of claims Disallowed.* |
| Less than eight contributions paid in past two years and less than 30 contributions paid at any time | 2 |
| Not normally insurable and will not normally seek to obtain a livelihood by means of insurable employment | 215 |
| Employment left voluntarily without just cause | 51 |
| Employment lost through misconduct | 8 |
| Failure or refusal to apply for or accept suitable employment, or failure to carry out written directions | 81 |
| Not capable of work or not available for work | 45 |
| Other grounds | 16 |
| 418 | |
| * The figures include claims made at the Walsall and Cannock Employment Exchanges. |