HC Deb 11 May 1939 vol 347 cc655-6
6. Mr. Liddall

asked the Minister of Labour whether he is aware that 110,000 persons who have retired, and are not seeking work, are included on the unemployed register in order to preserve their pension rights, and that 500,000 persons because of the normal and short interruptions to their jobs are also included in the unemployment figures; and will he, therefore, devise a means of qualifying the published theoretical unemployment figures so that the published unemployment totals may more accurately represent the position?

Mr. E. Brown

It is a statutory requirement that any person desiring to maintain his health insurance and pension rights on the ground of unemployment can obtain evidence of unemployment under the franking arrangements at the Employment Exchange only if he can show that he is in fact available for work. I cannot agree, therefore, with the first statement in the question. As regards the second statement, it is of course clear from the statements issued by my Department that a considerable proportion of the total number unemployed consists of persons who are temporarily stopped from employment or have been unemployed for very short periods. As mentioned in the reply to my hon. and learned Friend the Member for Leicester, East (Mr. Lyons) on 4th May, I am always ready to consider suggestions for improving the method of presentation of the statistics.

Mr. Lawson

Is there any evidence that this is the experience of Lincoln? Are people there on the register who are not really unemployed?

Mr. Brown

I do not understand that it refers to Lincoln. I understood it was a general statement made outside the House at a gathering recently.

Mr. Liddall

Does the right hon. Gentleman appreciate that this question has been put down with no intention of casting any reflection on people who are unemployed, but in order to get an accurate return of the unemployment figures?

Mr. Brown

I am aware of that.

7. Mr. Liddall

asked the Minister of Labour whether he will warn the rearmament authorities that the last published unemployment figures cannot be used as an indication of the available reserve of unemployed labour in case of emergency, in view of the total including, for pension rights, 110,000 persons not seeking work, and 500,000 persons, classed as unemployed, whose employments are only interrupted temporarily and for normal causes?

Mr. Brown

I do not think these authorities are under any misapprehension with regard to the true position, which, as I have explained, in reply to the previous question put by my hon. Friend, is not precisely as stated by him.

Mr. Leach

Is there a record of persons who are unemployed and who are not seeking work, and, if so, how many members of the other House are on the list?

Mr. Paling

Does this mean that the hon. Member for Lincoln (Mr. Liddall) is complaining?