HC Deb 21 May 1941 vol 371 cc1539-40
52 and 53. Sir L. Lyle

asked the Minister of Labour (1) whether in the April figures, omitting 12,011 as unsuitable for normal full-time employment, he can state the types of industrial or Service work which can be undertaken by the remaining 189,637 unemployed women and girls and what chance they have of obtaining it;

(2)whether, in the April figures, omitting the 36,408 incapable of industrial work, he can state the types of industrial work which the remaining unemployed 172,660 men can do, and what chance they have of doing it?

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

The published figures include all who happen to be out of work on the particular day on which the count is taken. Apart from those who have been found to be unfitted for ordinary industrial employment, they include those temporarily out of work and about to resume it and those in course of changing-over from one employment to another. Allowing for these factors, there is now practically no reserve of unemployed labour available for, but unable to obtain, employment. All workers who are suitable for employment and who are available to be moved away from home, can be placed in employment without delay. Under any system, there must always be a relatively small number of persons who on any particular day are out of work between two jobs, but it is quite erroneous to suggest that such persons are a body of unemployed for whom work cannot be provided.

Sir H. Williams

What is the date of the latest count?

Mr. Tomlinson

I am not quite sure off-hand, but I think the middle of March.

Mr. Maxton

If I send the hon. Gentleman the name and address of a skilled engineer, with a long seagoing experience and shore experience as well, who has been drawing unemployment benefit since the outbreak of the war, will he try to get him a job?

Mr. Tomlinson

I certainly will, and any other individual case of the kind.

Mr. Mainwaring

Is the hon. Gentleman aware that his reply will cause considerable surprise in centres where there are large bodies of men still idle?