§ 3. Mr. R. J. Taylorasked the Minister of Labour the total number of unemployed miners registered at the Employment Exchanges in Northumberland in the age groups 55 to 60 and 61 to 65 years?
§ Mr. E. BrownI regret that statistics giving the information desired are not available.
§ Mr. TaylorIs not the Minister aware that when a man reaches 65 he is immediately told that he is not qualified for pension. Is it not within the power of the Minister to get information, or is it being withheld?
§ Mr. BrownThe hon. Member asks not about men applicants of 65, but about miners. If he wants to know about the whole of the unemployed I would refer him to the January issue of the "Gazette" of this year, where there is a most elaborate analysis that we had made in November in regard to categories of work.
§ Mr. TaylorIs the right hon. Gentleman not aware that the applicants are placed in categories of work when they sign on, and that it appears the right hon. Gentleman is deliberately withholding this information?
§ Mr. BrownYes, but it is a difficult thing to analyse all the applicants in terms of age and craft.
§ 4. Mr. Sextonasked the Minister of Labour how many limestone quarrymen and lead miners, respectively, are registered as unemployed in South-West Durham?
§ Mr. BrownLimestone quarrying and lead mining are not separately distinguished in the statistics of unemployment among insured persons which are compiled in my Department, the former being included in the stone-quarrying and mining classification and the latter in the lead, tin and copper mining classification. The numbers of insured persons, aged 14–64, recorded as unemployed in South-West Durham on 15th March, 1937, were 293 in stone-quarrying and mining, and five in lead, tin and copper mining.
§ 5. Mr. Sextonasked the Minister of Labour how many miners in county Durham are registered at the Employment 1152 Exchanges as being unemployed; and how many of such are in the age groups 50 to 54, 55 to 60, and 61 to 65, respectively?
§ Mr. BrownAt 15th March, 1937, there were 16,863 insured persons, aged 14–64 years, in the coal mining industry classification, recorded as unemployed at Employment Exchanges in the county of Durham. Statistics giving the number of these persons who were aged 50 years or over are not available.