§ 7. Mr. S. O. DAVIESasked the Minister of Labour the amounts of money paid out each year, under the several Un-employment Acts, in unemployment benefit, transitional payments, unemployment assistance board allowances, etc., commencing 30th June, 1924, up to 30th June, 1936, for the county boroughs of Cardiff and Swansea, respectively?
§ Mr. E. BROWNAs the reply includes a table of figures, I will, if I may, circulate a statement in the OFFICIAL REPORT.
§ Following is the statement:
§ plaints, and I will communicate with the hon. Member as soon as I have had an opportunity of considering it. I should add, however, that the complaints did not relate to boy labour. No boys have been transferred through the machinery of my Department to this firm during the present year, and I am informed that only two boys previously so transferred are now in the firm's employment.
§ Miss WILKINSONI do not ask only in regard to boys transferred through 2601 the right hon. Gentleman's Department, but boys transferred through another agency to this firm at Aylesbury. Will the right hon. Gentleman take notice of this matter? I have seen 12 boys who were working there with very bad sores on their arms.
§ Mr. BROWNWith regard to the last point mentioned by the hon. Lady, she must know that that is a matter for the Home Secretary, and not for me. I pointed out in my answer that I have had a complaint but it did not refer to boys. I will consider the report I have received and then look into the matter.
Viscountess ASTORHow often shall we have to complain against firms that are really breaking the law? Does the right hon. Gentleman not think that these small fines do no good at all?
§ Mr. JAGGERWill the right hon. Gentleman include in his inquiries an inquiry as to who it is that sends these boys to Aylesbury and the relationship that exists between that person and the managing director?
11. Mr. JENKINSasked the Minister of Labour whether he can state, to the nearest available date, the number of unemployed persons transferred from each of the Special Areas; the number of persons whose removal has been subsidised from State funds; the number of young people transferred in respect of whom payments have been or are now made; and the total expenditure from State funds incurred?
§ Mr. BROWNFrom 1st January, 1935, to 31st October, 1936, 49,789 persons (comprising 23,174 men, 10,090 women, 9,184 boys, and 7,341 girls) from the Special Areas have been placed in employment in other districts by my Department. Of the 16,525 juveniles, 7,921 came from Wales, 6,467 from Durham and Tyneside, 1,164 from West Cumberland, and 973 from Scotland; maintenance grant has been, or is being, paid in 7,319 cases. Similar figures in respect of adults are available from September, 1935. Of 23,602 men and women transferred from the Special Areas since that date, 11,124 came from Durham and Tyneside, 9,064 from Wales, 2,615 from 2602 Scotland and 799 from West Cumberland. From 1st April, 1935, to 31st October, 1936, 8,585 families have been assisted to remove from the Special Areas. The total expenditure incurred over the period 1st January, 1935, to 31st October, 1936, is estimated at £230,000.
Mr. JENKINSDoes the right hon. Gentleman not think that it would be much better to spend the money in the Special Areas and provide work there rather than transfer people from the Special Areas?
§ Mr. BROWNI should be glad to have new industries. I am sure that many of these men, women and boys are very glad to have opportunities of useful work.
§ Mr. HOLDSWORTHCan the right hon. Gentleman give the dates relating to the first part of the question?
§ Mr. LAWSONAre the Government in their coming legislation contemplating compensating the areas from which these youngsters come for loss of citizens?
§ Miss WILKINSONWill the right hon. Gentleman before granting licences to foreign firms, such as the one at Aylesbury, to settle in the London area, insist as a condition of the licence that there should be proper conditions and that they should go into the distressed areas?
§ Mr. THORNEDoes it not mean that when these men are brought to various parts of London, unless some work is found for them, it is a case of removing them from one unemployment area to another?
§ Mr. BROWNThat is not so. The situation from day to day and week to week at the exchanges in this district is that there are shortages.
§ Mr. E. J. WILLIAMSHas the right hon. Gentleman any knowledge whether the persons who have been transferred have permanent employment and whether any have had to be re-transfered to the Special Areas?