HC Deb 03 June 1930 vol 239 cc1971-3W
Mr. D. G. SOMERVILLE

asked the Minister of Labour the number of unemployed, and the percentage of these to the employed, in each of the sheltered industries of the country; and how these figures compare with those for the corresponding period in 1929?

Miss BONDFIELD

, pursuant to her reply [OFFICIAL REPORT, 29th May, 1930, columns 1501–2, Vol. 239], supplied the following statement:

There is no authoritative list of "sheltered industries." The "Survey of Industrial Relations" prepared by the Committee on Industry and Trade contains a list of certain industries of the "sheltered" type, and the following table gives the statistics asked for in respect of these industries, so far as available, and of certain other industries which appear to be relatively little exposed to foreign competition.

have been reduced on artificial silk goods and on whisky and in Iraq on cotton, yarn, certain kinds of machinery and machine belting. In Hungary, Jugoslavia and Poland temporary suspensions or reductions of duty have been granted on a few articles; in Albania the duties on a number of manufactured good have been reduced under a Commercial Treaty concluded with France, and there have been reductions of minor importance in several other countries. I may, perhaps, add that the new Austro-German Commercial Treaty when it comes into force will lead to reductions of duty in both countries on certain classes of goods, including some textiles and metal manufactures and some descriptions of machinery.