§ 12. Major Guy Lloydasked the Minister of Labour if he will give an estimate of the amount of the present short-time working in British industry; and whether he will arrange for the regular inclusion of a short time working figure in the published unemployment statistics.
§ Mr. IsaacsInformation as to the extent of short-time working in the manufacturing industries is obtained only at quarterly intervals. In the week ended 1st January when conditions were abnormal following Christmas. 35,000 operatives were losing an average of 18½ hours. The next figures will relate to the end of March. I will arrange for these, and the figures for subsequent quarterly dates, to be published.