§ 43. Mr. CULVERWELLasked the Minister of Labour whether he contemplates any alteration in the schemes of training for unemployed men?
§ Mr. GRAYOwing to the high level of unemployment it has been increasingly difficult to find openings for men who have completed their training and the centres have been running substantially below full strength. It has now been decided to close, for the time being, the training centre at Dudley, and also two of the transfer instruction centres at Brandon and also that at Blackpool. All men who at the time of closing down have not completed their full course will either be placed in employment, if their training is sufficiently far advanced, or transferred to other centres to complete their training.
§ Mr. STEPHENDoes that mean that those people who are now in training in these centres are going to get preference over other persons who are unemployed but who have not been in training?
§ Mr. GRAYI do not think that any question of preference arises._ The people who are in the training centres that are to be closed down will be transferred to other centres.
§ Mr. STEPHENDid the hon. Member not say that certain people would be placed in employment? I am asking whether those people who are definitely to be placed in employment axe not going to get preference over the other people in their respective districts who have not had training.
§ Mr. GRAYI cannot see that any preference arises. If the hon. Member will put down a question in the exact terms which he desires, I will give him an answer.
§ Mr. HERBERT MORRISONWill the hon. Member tell us whether the statement that he has made indicates that the Government have decided to reduce the number of persons who shall undergo training?
| Men and Women on the registers of certain Employment Exchanges at 21st September, 1931. | |||||||||
| Employment Exchange. | Numbers on the Registers. | Numbers with claims authorised for transitional benefit. | Numbers in receipt of benefit other than transitional benefit who had received 156 days or more in their current benefit years. | ||||||
| Men. | Women. | Total. | Men. | Women. | Total. | Men. | Women. | Total. | |
| Middleton-in-Teesdale | 72 | 5 | 77 | 4 | 1 | 5 | 2 | — | 2 |
| Barnard Castle | 205 | 43 | 248 | 51 | 25 | 76 | 25 | 2 | 27 |
| Cockfield | 899 | 4 | 903 | 285 | — | 285 | 103 | 3 | 106 |
| Stanhope | 277 | 5 | 282 | 16 | — | 16 | 4 | — | 4 |
| Wolsingham | 170 | 4 | 174 | 22 | 2 | 24 | 23 | — | 23 |
| Lanchester | 1,623 | 18 | 1,641 | 215 | 2 | 217 | 144 | 3 | 147 |
| Separate figures are not available for St. John's Chapel or Langley Park. |