§ 1. Mr. D. Howellasked the Minister of Labour what facilities exist for recording statistics concerning short-time workers and women workers not registering at employment exchanges; and whether he will consider improving such facilities in order to provide more accurate information.
§ The Minister of Labour and National Service (Mr. Iain Macleod)Employers in the manufacturing industries supply information once a quarter showing the number of operatives working short time and the aggregate number of hours lost during a particular week by those operatives owing to short time. As from next month these employers will also be asked to include the number of workers on short time in their monthly returns of employment. The figures include those operatives working short time but not registered at the employment exchanges.
No facilities exist for recording the numbers of women who do not register at exchanges when they lose their jobs.
§ Mr. HowellWhile thanking the Minister of Labour for that slight improvement, may I ask him whether he is aware that there is some concern, especially in trade union circles, because it is impossible to follow the pattern of employment and unemployment unless we have up-to-date statistics? Would he consider trying to make available—and earlier than this kind of information is available at the moment—more complete information, particularly about married women who do not work during periods 722 of under-employment? These are necessary if labour, both management and trade unions, is to follow what is happening in the industrial areas of this country.
§ Mr. MacleodI am anxious to get the statistics as accurate as possible. The change which I have announced, which will give us monthly figures, is a very great improvement. In reply to the second part of the question, how we can find out the number of married women who have opted out of insurance and do not register at employment exchanges, I am bound to say that I cannot think of any method by which that could be recorded.
§ Mr. ShurmerSome of us learned yesterday in Birmingham that 1,000 men have been lost to employment in the last twelve months and none is being taken on to replace them. Does not the Minister think it would be a good idea for employers of labour in industries in the industrial centres to state every month the number of people who have left their employment and who are not to be replaced? It is very difficult for us to find out this information. We met one of the Minister's officials during the Recess and were unable to get the exact figure of unemployment in Birmingham of married women who were not prepared to sign on at employment exchanges.
§ Mr. MacleodI am bound to say that I do not think I altogether follow the hon. Member's question. I will study it in HANSARD, and if I can do anything about it I will.