HC Deb 02 March 1948 vol 448 c182
9. Mr. Swingler

asked the Minister of Labour the number of unemployed workers in the film industry at the latest date for which figures are available.

The Minister of Labour (Mr. Isaacs)

Separate figures for the film industry are not available.

Mr. Swingler

Could not the Minister give any indication of the situation? Is it not a fact that, during the past six months, unemployment among workers of all types in the film industry has been increasing; and is his Department taking any action, in view of the need for the production of more films?

Mr. Isaacs

So far as unemployment is concerned, the Minister and the Department are doing all they can to fit workers into jobs, and they will continue to do that. However, I am not quite sure what the hon. Gentleman means when he refers to the film industry. Workers are concerned in the filming of the productions, and in the acting, distribution and exhibition of the films. If the hon. Gentleman will let me have more details, I will try to give information. At the moment, the workers are included in the entertainment industry. They overlap with other forms of entertainment.