§ 46. Mr. LAWSONasked the Lord President of the Council whether he is now in a position to state the total number of surplus workers in the respective areas where investigations are being made by the four commissioners; the chief industries in which these workers were employed; and the total population affected?
§ The LORD PRESIDENT of the COUNCIL (Mr. Baldwin)No, Sir. Any estimate of the surplus industrial population in any area must depend on so 504 many hypothetical factors that I should be loth to commit myself to any figure.
§ Mr. LAWSONWould the commissioners be able to get those figures? Does not the right hon. Gentleman know that one of the reasons of the Minister of Labour for sending out these commissioners was that the data as to surplus population were not up to date?
§ Mr. BALDWINI am quite familiar with that point, and I hope it may be possible, when we get the reports and study them, to get some idea, but, as the hon. Gentleman knows as well as I do, it can only be an idea. I hope we shall have data which will enable us to form an opinion, but to get actual figures is almost impossible.
§ Mr. LAWSONWill those data be available to the House?
§ Mr. BALDWINI could not answer that question. The reports have not been received, and it is too early to commit myself as to the course we shall take.
§ Mr. LAWSONWill the right hon. Gentleman give serious consideration to this question, as it is very difficult for the House and the country to deal with the matter unless they get data upon which to work?
§ Mr. BALDWINI quite see that, and when we come down to grapple with the subject, which hitherto has baffled all Governments, we shall have to get sufficient information to enable us to form an opinion.
§ Mr. BATEYDo we understand the Lord President to say that the Government have not yet made up their minds as to what they are going to do with the reports? May one ask whether the House is to be given the opportunity of seeing the reports?
§ Mr. SPEAKERThat question has been answered already.