57. Miss CAZALETasked the Minister of Labour the number of registered insured workers in industry in this country in 1913 and in 1931; and the amount expressed as a percentage of the population?
§ Sir H. BETTERTONAs the reply contains a number of figures, I will, if I may, circulate it in the OFFICIAL REPORT.
§ Mr. KIRKWOODIs the Minister in a position to tell us whether they are more or less to-day than they were in 1913?
§ Sir H. BETTERTONThey are more now. In July, 1931, they were 12,500,000. The corresponding figure for July, 1921, was 11,081,000.
§ Mr. RHYS DAVIESWill the Minister bear in mind that the same classes of persons may not have been insured in 1913 as in 1931?
§ Sir H. BETTERTONI did not say 1913. I said 1921. That is when the Act of 1920 was in operation.
§ Mr. DAVIESIs the Minister not aware that 1913 and 1931 are mentioned in the question?
§ Sir H. BETTERTONOf course the figure is very much less in 1913. The number was 1,992,000.
§ Following is the reply:
§ The estimated number of persons insured under the Unemployment Insurance Acts in Great Britain at July, 1931, was 12£ millions; or approximately 28 per cent. of the total population. Comparable figures are not available for any date earlier than July, 1921, when the corresponding figures were 11,081,000 and 26 per cent. Before November, 1920, unemployment insurance covered only a limited number of industries, and in 1913 the number insured in Great Britain was approximately 1,992,000, or nearly 5 per cent. of the total population.