HC Deb 27 October 1932 vol 269 cc1123-5
7. Sir HENRY CAUTLEY

asked the Minister of Labour whether he is aware that in the Burgess Hill urban district, containing a population of 5,975, unemployment insurance cards are now being issued to approximately 500 men; whether he is aware, moreover, that, under the conditions on which public grants for road reconstruction are made, the East Sussex County Council, in remaking and widening the great arterial road from Brighton to London, are being compelled to obtain 50 per cent. of the men employed from mining or other distressed areas to the exclusion of the unemployed of Burgess Hill, through or near which the road runs; and whether he will take steps to remedy this?

Sir H. BETTERTON

According to the Department's records, the number of men at present registered as unemployed at Burgess Hill is 252. The road scheme to which my hon. Friend refers was approved early in 1931, under an arrangement in accordance with which a higher rate of grant than the normal is paid in return for the employment of a proportion of labour drawn from depressed areas, the remainder being drawn from local sources. In view of the fact that the average percentage of unemployment among men at Burgess Hill during the last 12 months was 11.1 per cent. compared with percentages of over 50 per cent. in the depressed areas, I see no ground for disturbing the present arrangements.

Sir H. CAUTLEY

Would the right hon. Gentleman inform the House how this distressed area can get any share of the employment that is provided by public funds to which this area contributes? How are we to get any share for our unemployed people?

Sir H. BETTERTON

Is my hon. and learned Friend referring to Burgess Hill?

Sir H. CAUTLEY

Yes, and other areas.

Sir H. BETTERTON

The answer is that under an arrangement made by my predecessor, which I do not propose to disturb, a higher rate of grant was paid to this area, and as a condition of that higher rate of grant the area was re- quired to take a certain proportion of people from areas which were more distressed than their own.