HC Deb 22 June 1937 vol 325 cc1023-4
69. Mr. W. Joseph Stewart

asked the Minister of Labour the number of miners that have been unemployed in England and Wales, county by county, for the periods of one, two, and three years, respectively.

The Minister of Labour (Mr. Ernest Brown)

I regret that statistics giving the information desired are not available.

71. Mr. J. Griffiths

asked the Minister of Labour whether it is the practice at employment exchanges that when a workman, who has had a period of employment at work other than that of his normal occupation, re-registers at the exchange, the description of his normal occupation will be changed; and how many ex-miners registering at the employment exchanges in South Wales and Monmouthshire have had the description of their normal occupation altered after a period of temporary employment at some other work?

Mr. Brown

For the purpose of the placing work of the employment exchanges, the occupational classification of a workman depends upon the nature of the work sought and the qualifications possessed by him, and would not be changed after a spell of temporary employment outside his normal occupation. For the purpose of the monthly statistics in which the numbers of insured work-people recorded as unemployed are analysed by industries, a workman registering as unemployed is classified according to the industry in which he is employed at the annual exchange of unemployment books, or, if he is unemployed at that date, the industry in which he was last employed. This classification is revised only at the annual exchange of books in July of each year. Information is not available as to the number of ex-miners now recorded as unemployed who are included under some other industry in the statistics of unemployment.

Mr. Griffiths

Will the right hon. Gentleman consider the advisability of keeping miners under their own original registration, in view of the fact that there is a regulation which protects miners employed in the pits, and that they will lose their preference if they lose their original registration?

Mr. Brown

The hon. Gentleman will understand that there are difficulties in deciding what course is best for the men.

Mr. Griffiths

May I press the question? As the right hon. Gentleman and his Department are responsible for the arrangement which gives unemployed miners preference, is it not desirable that all ex-miners should keep their designation?

Mr. Brown

I was not quite sure which of the two points the hon. Gentleman had in mind, but he will find that both are covered.