§ 8. Mr. DUNCAN GRAHAMasked the Minister of Labour the number of men, women, boys, and girls, respectively, who have been placed in employment by the various Employment Exchanges in the county of Lanark during each of the years 1931, 1932, and 1933, and the number in each of the years who renewed registration on account of having been employed temporarily?
§ Sir H. BETTERTONI am having a statement prepared showing the numbers of vacancies filled during each of these years by the Employment Exchanges referred to, and will circulate it in the OFFICIAL REPORT as soon as it is available. I regret that statistics are not available as to the number of separate individuals placed in employment each year or the numbers who renewed registration on account of having been employed temporarily.
§ Mr. GRAHAMCould not some arrangement be made by the Ministry of Labour which would enable a record to be kept?
§ Sir H. BETTERTONI am having a statement prepared in which I will give all the information I can. We can give a list of vacancies filled, but I am not sure that we can give a list showing how many separate individuals are concerned. I will, however, give all the information I can.
§ 9. Mr. GRAHAMasked the Minister of Labour if he is aware that there is a considerable increase in the number of persons registering at the various Labour Exchanges in the county of Lanark between January, 1931, and January, 1934; and whether he can give any reason for the failure of that area to share in the general improvement and decrease in numbers unemployed as claimed in the official statistics?
§ Sir H. BETTERTONI am aware that the numbers registered as unemployed at 22nd January, 1934, at some of the Employment Exchanges referred to showed considerable increases as compared with 26th January, 1931. These increases appear to be mainly due to increased unemployment in certain industries to which substantial proportions of the men in those districts look for employment, and 1246 in which employment generally is still below the level of three years ago.
§ Mr. GRAHAMIs the right hon. Gentleman aware that one of the largest steelworks in Scotland has recently been transferred—
§ Mr. ANSTRUTHER-GRAYWill the hon. Gentleman speak a little louder because the question affects other localities?
§ Mr. GRAHAMIs the hon. Gentleman aware that one of the largest steelworks in Scotland has been transferred recently to the Midlands of England, and that a large part of the county of Lanark is becoming derelict; and will he make some special inquiry into the situation with a view to providing some easy method of transferring to areas where men can get employment?
§ Sir H. BETTERTONI am well aware of the case to which the hon. Gentleman refers. I have already made inquiries and have been in communication with the firm in question. If there is anything I can do to alleviate the position in Lanarkshire, I will certainly do it.