§ 1. Mr. ALBERYasked the Minister of Labour if she will state how many men have been directly found employment under Government schemes during last year, counting the number of men employed for shorter periods together to complete one year's employment per man?
§ The MINISTER of LABOUR (Miss Bondfield)The information published or given to the House from time to time as to the number of men directly employed on grant-aided schemes is obtained from special returns made on one day in each month about all schemes in operation on that day. I am afraid, therefore, that it would not be possible to make the calculation for which the hon. Member asks.
§ Mr. ALBERYCan the right hon. Lady give the one figureasked for, which only means the taking of one day for 12 different months?
§ 5 and 6. Mr. GORDON MACDONALDasked the Minister of Labour (1) what number of local authorities have intimated their unwillingness to submit any work schemes on the grounds that the financial arrangements between the Treasury and the local authorities were unsatisfactory;
(2) the number of work schemes submitted by the local authorities that have been rejected?
§ Miss BONDFIELDAs the reply is necessarily long, I will, with my hon. Friend's permission, circulate it in the OFFICIAL REPORT.
Following is the reply:
Between 1st June, 1929, and 31st December, 1930, 1,339 local authorities and other statutory bodies have made application for grant under Part II of the Development (Loan Guarantees and Grants) Act, 1929, in aid of 5,196 schemes of work for the relief of unemployment, estimated to cost £89,226,000. Many tentative inquiries have also been received, and it is obvious that local authorities have been much encouraged in promoting schemes of work by the generous terms of grant offered by the Government. The reasons for the failure on the part of the remaining local authorities to submit schemes of work are not known.
Of the 5,196 schemes submitted, 2,973 schemes, estimated to cost £52,782,000 have been approved for grant, while 1,114 schemes of an estimated total cost of £23,000,000 have been withdrawn, cancelled, or found not to comply with the conditions.