§ 3. Sir K. WOODasked the Minister of Labour the number of persons directly employed engaged on work on all schemes approved on or after the 1st June, 1929, at the last convenient date; and the estimated cost of works on which such persons are employed?
§ Miss BONDFIELDAs regards the first part of the question, I would refer the right hon. Member to the answer given to him yesterday relating to the number of men employed on schemes in operation on 30th January. The estimated cost of these schemes is £92,000,000.
§ Sir K. WOODDoes that mean that it has cost £92,000,000 to put 8,000 people into work?
§ Miss BONDFIELDNo, the right hon. Gentleman's conclusion from the figures is entirely wrong.
§ 8. Mr. STRAUSSasked the Minister of Labour how many persons were employed, directly and indirectly, on State- 2118 assisted schemes other than those financed out of the Road Fund on 29th June, 1929, and on the latest convenient date?
§ Miss BONDFIELDOf the total of about 200,000 estimated to be employed directly and indirectly at the end of December last on works for the relief of unemployment, the number attributable to schemes, other than those financed out of the Road Fund, may be estimated at 135,000. The corresponding figure for the end of June, 1929, was in the neighbourhood of 20,000.
§ Sir ARTHUR STEEL-MAITLANDHow many of these were directly and how many indirectly employed, and how does the right hon. Lady define the words "directly" and "indirectly"?
§ Miss BONDFIELDThat was clearly explained by the late Lord Privy Seal in a statement which he made to the House when he quoted the 200,000.
§ Sir K. WOODHow many were directly employed?
§ Miss BONDFIELDMy right hon. Friend said at the time that the proportion was about 50–50.