§ Colonel WOODCOCKasked the Minister of Labour approximately the number of unemployed in the following countries: United States of America, France, Belgium, and Germany?
§ Sir A. STEEL-MAITLANDInformation with regard to these and other countries is given monthly in the "Ministry of Labour Gazette." The following is a summary of the latest available information:
United Stoles of America.—No statistics of unemployment are published. The index number of numbers in employment in manufacturing industries in December, 1928, was 87.8 as compared with the monthly average for 1923 taken as 100.
France.—The total number of unemployed persons recorded on the "live registers" of the Employment Exchanges on 9th February, 1929, was 12,291.
Belgium.—The only statistics of unemployment are those based on returns supplied by unemployment insurance societies. At the end of December, 1928, 1788W 165 of these, with a total membership of 620,218, showed 11,912 or 1.9 per cent. of these members totally unemployed and 27,694 or 4.4 per cent. on short time.
Germany.—The number of persons reported by the Employment Exchanges as available and seeking work was 2,545,2.54 at the end of December, 1928, and 2,741,798 at 17th January, 1929. Returns from trade unions, covering 4.483,600 workpeople, showed 16.7 per cent. of these workpeople as unemployed and 7.5 per cent. working short time at the end of December, 1928.