§ 2. Mr. Craven-Ellisasked the Minister of Labour the total amount of unemployment at the peak period for the years 1923, 1929, 1934, 1937, and 1938?
§ The Minister of Labour (Mr. Ernest Brown)As the reply includes a Table of figures, I will, if I may, circulate a statement in the OFFICIAL REPORT.
§ Following is the statement:
§ The Table below gives the information desired so far as it is available:
| Unemployed Persons on the Registers of Employment Exchanges in Great Britain. | ||
| Date. | Number. | |
| 1st January, 1923 | … | 1,511,377 |
| 30th December, 1929 | … | 1,510,231 |
| 22nd January, 1934 | … | 2,389,068 |
| 25th January, 1937 | … | 1,689,223 |
| 12th December, 1938 | … | 1,831,372 |
§ Legislative and administrative changes between 1923 and 1938 have affected comparison between the different years. The information available is insufficient to enable a series of figures to be given on a strictly comparable basis.
§ 13. Mr. Bateyasked the Minister of Labour the total number of unemployed registering at the Employment Exchanges; the number receiving payments; and the number not receiving any payments owing to the means tests or through being on public assistance relief?
§ Mr. BrownAt 13th March, 1939, there were 1,726,929 unemployed persons, aged 14 and over, on the registers of Employment Exchanges in Great Britain, of whom 38,577 were under 16 years of age. The remainder included 1,529,471 persons aged 16–64 with claims admitted for insurance benefit or applications authorised for unemployment allowances, 31,937 with applications for benefit or allowances under consideration, and 20,939 insured applicants for allowances in whose cases it had been held that no allowance could be paid. The number who were in receipt of poor relief at 13th March is not available, but in February, 1939, there were approximately 26,000 persons on the registers of Employment Exchanges in Great Britain who were returned as being in receipt of poor relief on account of unemployment.
§ Mr. BateyWhy does the Minister give such inaccurate figures? Why does he not tell us just the total number unemployed and the total number receiving relief?
§ Mr. BrownI think the hon. Member will find that not merely have I done that, but I have helped him to understand what the total figures mean.
§ Mr. ThorneIs the right hon. Gentleman aware that some day he will be putting questions which somebody else will answer in a different way from that in which he has answered them?