§ 28. Mr. Toucheasked the Minister of Labour whether he is now in a position to make a statement regarding the regular publication of statistics relating to employment and unemployment.
43. Mr. Scott-Elliotasked the Minister of Labour whether, in view of existing apprehension concerning unemployment, he will revert to the pre-war custom of announcing unemployment figures once a month.
§ Mr. IsaacsAt present these statistics are being published at quarterly intervals. I hope to make a statement shortly about their more frequent publication.
§ 36. Viscountess Davidsonasked the Minister of Labour when it is intended to resume publication of the index of unemployment in the various employment ex change areas.
§ Mr. IsaacsOwing to the changes which are now occurring in the composition and geographical distribution of the insured population, percentages of unemployment in particular areas similar to those which were formerly given in the "Local Unemployment Index" would in many cases be seriously misleading. A table snowing the numbers of unemployed persons on the registers at Employment Exchanges in a large number of the principal towns is, however, now being regularly published in the Ministry of Labour Gazette.
§ 37. Viscountess Davidsonasked the Minister of Labour when it is intended to resume publication in the Ministry of Labour Gazette of the monthly statistics showing unemployment in the principal industries.
§ Mr. IsaacsStatistics of unemployment in the various industries in October will be published in the November issue of the Ministry of Labour Gazette. I am not at present able to say when it will be possible to resume publication at monthly intervals.