HC Deb 19 July 1937 vol 326 c1785
61. Mr. James Griffiths

asked the Minister of Labour whether he can now make a statement as to whether any difficulty exists in getting real working colliers in South Wales and Durham; whether his attention has been called to any cases where pits have been delayed in re-opening because colliery owners cannot get the men who have experience in opening them; at what Employment Exchanges in South Wales and Durham applications have been made for such workmen; what exchanges, if any, have not been able to supply the labour requested by any colliery owners; and what was the number of miners registered as unemployed in those areas on the last convenient date?

The Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Labour (Mr. Butler)

There is generally no difficulty in securing experienced colliery workpeople in South Wales and Durham, but it is not easy to meet employers' requirements from among the workpeople available locally in a few

Table showing, for each Employment Exchange in the Special Areas in Monmouthshire, the decrease in the numbers of unemployed persons on the registers at 21st June, 1937, as compared with 22nd June, 1936.
Employment Exchange. Decrease in numbers wholly unemployed. Decrease in numbers temporarily stopped. Total decrease.
Abertillery 1,238 32 1,270
Blaina 613 46 659
Blackwood 701 39 740
Blaenavon 300 14 314
Ebbw Vale 1,318 79 1,397
Newbridge 1,331 363 1,694
Pontypool 839 34 873
Pontnewydd 140 84 224
Risca 557 475 1,032
Tredegar 1,088 25 1,113
Usk 22 22
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