§ 5. Mr. DOBBIEasked the Minister of Labour whether there has been an increase in the number of women entering industry during the last 10 years; and, if so, what is the rate of increase?
§ Captain AUSTIN HUDSON (Lord of the Treasury)I have been asked to reply. As the reply includes a table of figures, my right hon. Friend will, if he may, circulate a statement in the OFFICIAL REPORT.
§ Following is the statement:
§ The only statistics compiled in my Department as to the numbers entering industry relate to persons entering employment which is insurable under the Unemployment Insurance Acts. These statistics are available only for the period since 1925, and the figures for women and girls for each year in that period are as follow:
| New Entrants into Unemployment Insurance in Great Britain. | ||
| Year. | Women and Girls. | |
| July 1925—June 1926 | … | 376,644 |
| July 1926—June 1927 | … | 355,085 |
| July 1927—June 1928 | … | 365,564 |
| July 1928—June 1929 | … | 360,930 |
| July 1929—June 1930 | … | 364,595 |
| July 1930—June 1931 | … | 330,505 |
| July 1931—June 1932 | … | 302,325 |
| July 1932—June 1933 | … | 304,134 |
| July 1933—June 1934 | … | 308,402 |
§ A detailed analysis of the numbers of women and girls entering insurable employment in the period 1925–34 is given on pages 388–389 of the issue of the Ministry of Labour Gazette for November, 1934, a copy of which I am sending the hon. Member.