9. Mr. WILSONasked the Minister of Labour whether, seeing that the number of insured men and young men constituted in July, 1935, 69.6 per cent. of the total insured persons, as compared with 67.5 per cent. in July, 1931, he can explain how it is that, although the total number of unemployed has during the same period dropped from 2,632,962 to 1,936,216 the number of men and young men unemployed constituted 83 per cent. of the total in July, 1935, as compared with 74.8 per cent. in 1931?
§ Mr. E. BROWNThe variation in percentages to which the hon. Member calls attention is explained by the fact that in 1931 there was an abnormal number of women registered as unemployed. At the end of June, in 1928 and 1929, for example, unemployed men, aged 18 to 64, constituted approximately 82 per cent. and 80 per cent., respectively, of the total number of insured persons recorded as unemployed. The hon. Member will see that these figures approximate to that which he quotes for 1935.
Mr. WILSONDoes that not mean that the increase is due to the large number of juveniles who are out of work?
§ Mr. BROWNNo. I think it is much more likely to be due to the effect of the Act passed by the Labour Government in 193C affecting married women.