HC Deb 26 April 1934 vol 288 cc1849-50
1. Sir PERCY HARRIS

asked the Minister of Labour the increase in the number of persons employed in the greater London area during the last five years; and how many of them approximately have come from places outside the area?

The PARLIAMENTARY SECRETARY to the MINISTRY of LABOUR (Mr. R. S. Hudson)

At the end of June, 1933, the estimated number of insured persons aged 16 to 64 in the London division (which corresponds approximately with the greater London area) was 2,398,840, of whom 270,510 were recorded as unemployed; at the end of June, 1928, the number of insured persons was 2,147,530, of whom 108,755 were recorded as unemployed. On this basis, there would appear to have been an increase of nearly 90,000 in the number of insured persons in employment in the London division between June, 1928 and June, 1933. I regret that information is not available as to how many of these had come from places outside the London area. Later statistics as to the numbers insured will not become available until after the annual exchange of books in July of this year, but the number recorded as unemployed in the London division at 19th March, 1934, was 239,150.

Sir P. HARRIS

Does the hon. Gentleman realise that there is a general impression in London that the greater part of the additional people who are employed come from the north of England, Wales and other parts of the country; that the people normally employed in London are very much the same in character and personnel as was the case three or four years ago; and that this is not helping the actual London portion of the unemployed?

Mr. HUDSON

I hope that the hon. Member will not adopt the attitude that we must do nothing for these other areas.

Mr. MACQUISTEN

Is it not the fact that those people who come from the North and from Wales are much harder-working people than the people of London?

Mr. GODFREY NICHOLSON

Could my hon. Friend give any idea of the number of people who have drifted into London from other areas and have failed to find work?

Mr. HUDSON

I have said in my original answer that information is not available as to the numbers coming from other areas.

Sir P. HARRIS

Does the hon. Gentleman realise that there is an impression—it may be wrong—that preference is given by Employment Exchanges, especially in the West of London, to people from the North and West over London-born people?