§ 15. Mr. S. O. Daviesasked the Minister of Labour the number of persons who have left the borough of Merthyr Tydfil, whether transferred under the Ministry of Labour or voluntarily to seek other employment, since December, 1936?
§ Mr. E. BrownI am making inquiries and will communicate with the hon. Member as soon as possible.
§ 17. Mr. Daviesasked the Minister of Labour the numbers of insured persons, employed and unemployed, in the borough of Merthyr Tydfil in January and October this year?
§ Mr. BrownThe only figures available are the total numbers of insured persons whose unemployment books were exchanged at the Employment Exchanges serving the Merthyr Tydfil area at the 1936 and 1937 exchange of books, and the numbers of insured persons recorded as unemployed. The books exchanged figures gave a total, for persons aged 14 to 64, of 20,490 for July, 1936, and 19,150 for July, 1937. At 25th January, 1937, 10,098 insured persons, aged 14 to 64, were recorded as unemployed, and 7,437 at 18th October, 1937.
§ Mr. DaviesWill the Minister inquire into the figure he has given, which is totally misleading as to the number of insured workers living in the area mentioned in the question?
§ Mr. DaviesIs the right hon. Gentleman aware that this figure, apparently, has been unchanged during the year from January to October, and that obviously it is incorrect?
§ Mr. BrownThat is not so. The figure given in July, 1936, was 20,490 and in July, 1937, 19,150. The hon. Member knows that we get the Employment Exchange books only annually.