§ 17. Mr. LESLIEasked the Minister of Labour whether he is aware of the amount of unemployment in the Darling-
§ division juvenile employment bureau at the latest convenient date?
§ Mr. E. BROWNAs the reply includes a number of figures, I will, if I may, circulate a statement in the OFFICIAL REPORT.
§ Following is the statement:
§ ton rural district, particularly at Middleton St. George and adjoining parishes in the eastern part of the district; and, in view of the fact that the working-class population at Middleton St. George and Low Dinsdale are chiefly dependent upon the Linthorpe-Dinsdale smelting works, which have been entirely closed down for nearly five years, whether he will consider the advisability of taking steps to schedule the district under the special areas?
§ Mr. E. BROWNI am aware of the difficulties resulting from the closing of the Linthorpe-Dinsdale smelting works, but the industrial situation in the neighbourhood of Darlington as a whole has improved materially in the last 12 months and the percentage of unemployment is now little worse than in the country as 619 a whole. It would not be practicable to deal with Middleton St. George and the adjoining parishes in the manner suggested, and I would refer to the reply which I gave to the hon. Member for Westhoughton on the 12th December, 1935, of which I am sending the hon. Member a copy.