§ 5. Mr. DORANasked the Minister of Labour whether he will take steps to abolish the present system of Employment Exchanges in view of the necessity for national economy, and also of the failure of the Employment Exchange system in the direction of getting employment for the unemployed?
§ Sir H. BETTERTONNo, Sir. The exchanges filled nearly 2,000,000 vacancies last year and the schemes of unemployment insurance and transitional payments could not be administered without them.
§ Mr. DORANIs the right hon. Gentleman aware that, generally, employers who are anxious to obtain servants put notices in the newspaper or engage servants on recommendation; and that only the worst forms of jobs go to the Employment Exchanges?
§ Sir H. BETTERTONI do not think that that statement can be taken as strictly accurate, in view of the fact that 2,000,000 vacancies were filled by the exchanges last year.
| Provision made by or on behalf of the Ministry of Labour for the Training and Instruction of Unemployed Adults and Juveniles. | ||||
| Type of Centre. | Number of Centres in operation. | Numbers undergoing training or instruction. | ||
| July,1931. | December,1932.(See Note (d)). | July,1931. | December,1932 (See Note (d)). | |
| Men. | ||||
| i. Government Training Centres (a) | 11 | 9 | 3,125 | 2,033 |
| ii. Instructional Centres (a) | 9 | 11 | 1,263 | 2,103 |
| iii. Physical Training Centres | — | 5(b) | — | 950 |
| (approx.) | ||||
| Women and Girls (Central Committee on Women's Training and Employment). | ||||
| i. Residential Centres | 5 | 7 | 176 | 261 |
| ii. Non-Residential Centres (c) | 46 | 26 | 1,003 | 732 |
| Junior Instruction Centres and Classes (Conducted by Local Education Authorities) (d). | ||||
| Centres. | ||||
| Boys | 45(e) | 83 | Boys:10,310 (f) Girls:3,451 (f) | Boys:14,342 (f) Girls:4,256 (f) |
| Girls | 14 | 29 | ||
| Mixed | 21 | 24 | ||
| Classes. | ||||
| Boys | 9(e) | 20 | ||
| Girls | 4 | 7 | ||
| Mixed | 3 | 1 | ||
| (a) Included in the figures is one Centre which provides both kinds of facilities. | ||||
| (b) Includes one Centre managed by the Department at the expense of an anonymous donor. | ||||
| (c) Centres of this type are not all open throughout the year. | ||||
| (d) The instruction given in these Centres and Classes is of a general character. They do not give vocational training The dates to which the figures refer are 29th July, 1931 and 23rd November, 1932. | ||||
| (e) At 29th July, 1931, a considerable number of Centres and Classes were closed for summer holidays. | ||||
| (f) In addition, at 23rd November, 1932, 3,239 juvenile claimants for benefit were under arrangement made with the Ministry, in attendance at other classes conducted by Education Authorities. At 29th July, 1931, the corresponding number was 17. At that date moat of these Classes were closed for holidays. |