§ 59. Mr. LEWISasked the Minister of Labour how the number of persons unemployed in this country, in the United States of America, and in Germany in May, 1932, compares with the number unemployed in August., 1931?
Mr. HUDSONAs the reply is somewhat long and contains a number of figures, I will, if I may, circulate it in the OFFICIAL REPORT.
§ Following is the reply:
§ The numbers of persons on the registers of the Employment Exchanges in this country were 2,762,219 at 31st August, 26 1931, and 2,741,306 at 23rd May, 1932. In Germany, there were 4,214,765 registered unemployed at 31st August, 1931, and 5,582,620 at 31st May, 1932. Statistics of unemployment are not officially compiled in the United States of America. The official index of employment in manufacturing industries, based on an average index of 100 for the year 1926, was 71.2 in August, 1931, and 59.7 in May, 1932. The American Federation of Labour have estimated that there were 5,100,000 persons unemployed in the United States in August, 1931, and 10,634,000 in March, 1932. I understand, however, that the method of arriving at these figures was somewhat different at the two dates, and it is possible that the earlier figure would have been somewhat higher if it had been estimated by the later method.