§ 35. Mr. DENVILLEasked the Minister of Labour whether any substantial cost would be involved in the regular provision of more detailed statistics with regard to the number of persons employed and unemployed in entertainments qualifying for reduced rates of Entertainments Duty under the Finance Act, 1935; and whether he will consider the desirability of providing such statistics henceforward, in view of their utility in considering plans for providing increased employment in this direction?
§ The PARLIAMENTARY SECRETARY to the MINISTRY of LABOUR (Lieut.-Colonel Muirhead)I regret that the information in the possession of my Department is insufficient to provide a basis for the compilation of separate statistics with regard to the numbers employed and unemployed in these classes of entertainments. The persons concerned are at present included in a statistical group which covers entertainments and sports generally, and special inquiries as to the precise nature of the employment of over 120,000 persons in that group would be necessary to enable those connected with entertainments qualifying for reduced rates of Entertainments Duty under the Finance Act, 1935, to be separately classified. Apart from the question of the considerable expenditure which would be involved, difficulties would arise with regard to the classification of persons whose engagements are not confined to one section of the industry.
§ Lieut.-Colonel MUIRHEADOne of the points about this question is that the remission is on account of entertainments and not on account of specific individuals. That is one of the difficulties in subdividing the classification still further.