§ 1. Mr. DOUGLAS HACKINGasked the Minister of Labour the number of
| THE FOLLOWING TABLE shows, for each Administrative Division of Great Britain, the total number of persons on the registers of Employment Exchanges at 9th March, 1931, and the increases in the numbers as compared with a week before, a month before, and a year before. | |||||
| Division. | Number on Register at 9th March, 1931. | Increase (+) or decrease (-) as compared with | |||
| 2nd March, 1931 | 9th February, 1931. | 10th March, 1930. | |||
| London | … | 269,799 | +505 | +671 | +110,844 |
| South-Eastern | … | 122,580 | +2,159 | -1,754 | +50,587 |
| South-Western | … | 130,508 | +1,332 | -481 | +49,061 |
| Midlands | … | 392,039 | +20,623 | +31,333 | +187,725 |
| North-Eastern | … | 582,996 | +22,205 | +27,822 | +255,563 |
| North-Western | … | 636,825 | +2,262 | -27,276 | +238,726 |
| Scotland | … | 357,903 | +9,308 | +11,998 | +169,532 |
| Wales | … | 199,087 | -1,231 | +12,293 | +65,892 |
| Great Britain | … | 2,691,737 | +57,163 | +54,606 | +1,127,930 |
| The increases between 2nd March and 9th March in the Midlands and North-Eastern Divisions were due mainly to temporary stoppages in the coalmining industry. | |||||
| A detailed industrial analysis is not available for a date later than 23rd February. An analysis for that date is given in the Ministry of Labour Gazette for March. |
§ cases within the past six months where decisions taken by courts of referees to refuse benefit have been submitted to the umpire; and the number of cases where the umpire has ruled in favour of the applicant and against the decisions of the courts?
§ The MINISTER of LABOUR (Miss Bondfield)During the past six months the umpire allowed benefit in 3,118 cases, and disallowed benefit in 8,123 cases, a total of 11,241. The form in which the statistics are obtained does not enable me to give the further details asked for.
§ Mr. HACKINGDoes that show that the present constitution of the courts is not very satisfactory?
§ Miss BONDFIELDI should say not.
§ 16. Sir HENRY BETTERTONasked the Minister of Labour the districts and the industries which are responsible for the recent increase of the numbers on the unemployment register?
§ Miss BONDFIELDAs the reply includes a statistical table, I propose, with the hon. Member's permission, to circulate it in the OFFICIAL REPORT.
§ Sir H. BETTERTONIs the increase due to the mines quota?
§ Miss BONDFIELDI should be glad if the hon. Gentleman would study the tables.
§ Following is the reply: