§ 45. Sir J. Barlowasked the Minister of Labour the total number of cotton textile operatives on employers' books compared with June, 1953.
§ Mr. Iain MacleodThe available figures include office, etc., staffs as well as operatives. The estimated total number of employees in employment in the cotton industry in Great Britain at the end of April, 1958, was about 238,000 compared with 284,000 at the end of June, 1953.
§ 46. Sir J. Barlowasked the Minister of Labour what are the percentages of male and female cotton textile operatives wholly unemployed and the percentage of temporarily stopped workers, including in both cases married women who are not eligible for unemployment benefit.
§ Mr. Iain MacleodThe numbers of wholly unemployed males and females in the cotton industry in Great Britain at 12th May, 1958, represented 2 per cent. and 1.2 per cent., respectively, of the estimated total numbers of male and female employees in the industry. The corresponding proportions temporarily stopped were 4.5 per cent. for males and 6.5 per cent. for females. Married women who are not eligible for unemployment benefit are included in the figure if they register at employment exchanges for work. It is not possible to take account of those who do not register at employment exchanges when they lose their employment.
§ Sir J. BarlowWhile thanking my right hon. Friend for his answer, may I ask him if he could tell me whether temporarily stopped workers are really those who have extended holidays?
§ Mr. MacleodNo, Sir. The definition of temporarily stopped goes much wider than that, but the increase in the temporarily stopped in Lancashire is certainly one of the worrying aspects of the situation.