§ Lord H. CAVENDISH-BENTINCKasked the Minister of Labour what was the percentage rate of unemployment in the German iron and steel industry before the lock-out began?
§ Mr. BETTERTONThe only statistics available relate to the German metal and engineering industries as a whole. At the end of October, 1928, before the trade dispute of 1st November, 1928, in the German iron and steel industry, 6.2 per cent. of a total of 989,500 members of German metal workers' trade unions1740W making returns were wholly unemployed and 7.8 per cent. were working short time. The corresponding figures for the end of September, 1928, were 5.7 per cent. wholly unemployed and 6.5 per cent. working short time.