§ Mr. MALONEasked the Prime Minister what progress has been made with the Government's proposals for dealing with the question of unemployed?
Dr. MACNAMARAI have been asked to reply. The Government are pressing forward as rapidly as possible with the schemes announced by the Prime Minister on 19th October. Arrangements have been completed with regard to some 25 road schemes, on which work will commence shortly. I understand that in certain cases work has actually started and will grow in volume rapidly. As regards public works other than roads, the possibility of putting schemes in hand is being actively investigated. Measures have already been taken by the Ministry of Health to secure that road and sewer work in housing schemes shall be taken in hand at once to, a much larger extent than had been contemplated. In this way employment will be afforded to a large number of additional men, particularly in the housing schemes of the London County Council, on which work is already proceeding. Negotiations are in progress with the trade unions in the building trades for the admission of additional men in connection with the housing programme, and if, as I hope, work is resumed in a few days' time in the coal mines, the question of the admission of 205W ex-service men into the other trades mentioned by the Prime Minister will be taken up at once.