§ 16. Mr. T. Williamsasked the Minister of Labour how many persons are wholly unemployed and temporarily stopped in the Thorne area; and how many have been unemployed for more than six months?
§ Mr. E. BrownAt 13th September, 1937, the number of persons registered at the Thorne Employment Exchange as wholly unemployed and temporarily stopped were 1,109 and 576, respectively. At the same date, the numbers of applicants for insurance benefit or unemployment allowances who had been continuously on the registers of the Thorne Employment Exchange for six months or more was 626.
§ Mr. WilliamsIs the right hon. Gentleman aware that this is supposed to be a very prosperous area in South Yorkshire, and that these figures represent an unemployment percentage of 22, and will he say what his Department or other Departments of the Government are doing to find these people work?
§ Mr. BrownI could not debate that now, but, as the hon. Member knows very well, there has been a very great change between the wholly unemployed and the temporarily stopped in that area.
§ Mr. WilliamsIs the right hon. Gentleman aware that there is a constant unemployment percentage in that area, and has been for quite a long time, of not less than 22 per cent., and will he tell us what the Government are doing, if anything, to find these people work?