HC Deb 05 May 1938 vol 335 cc1049-53W
Mr. T. Smith

asked the Minister of Labour whether he will state, in respect of each of the coal-mining, iron and steel, shipbuilding, docks and harbours, and shipping industries in South Wales, West Cumberland, Durham and Tyneside, Lancashire and Merseyside, the West of SE6tland and Great Britain, the numbers of insured workers attached to the industry in July, 1923, 1936, and 1937; and the number and percentages of insured workers employed and unemployed, respectively, in June, 1923, 1936, and 1937, and in February, 1938?

Mr. E. Brown,

pursuant to his reply (OFFICIAL REPORT, 7th April, 1938; cols. 552-3, Vol. 334),supplied the following statement

The following Table gives the information desired so far as it is available. The figures for 1923 relate to insured persons aged 16 and over, while for the other dates mentioned they relate to insured persons aged 16 to 64. The only information available as to the numbers of insured persons in employment in the industries and areas in question is that obtained by deducting the numbers recorded as unemployed from the estimated numbers insured. Estimates of the numbers insured are not available in respect of February, 1938.

— South Wales. West Cumber-land. Durham and Tyneside. Lan-cashire West and of Mersey side. West of Scotland. Great Britain.
Coal Mining.
Estimated number (aged 16 and over) insured, July, 1923. 261,850 12,140 198,670 114,770 82,710 1,243,450.
Unemployed, June, 1923—Number 6,376 488 5,838 4,263 3,916 31,948
Per cent. 2.4 4.0 2.9 3.7 4.7 2.6
Estimated number (aged 16–64) insured, July, 1936. 170,310 8,790 137,900 73,600 51,300 895,900
Unemployed, June, 1936—Number 68,292 4,318 30,806 25,861 14,226 274,229
Per cent 40.1 49.1 22:3 35.1 27.7 30.6
Estimated number (aged 16–64) insured, July, 1937. 162,500 8,210 134,680 69,830 50,340 868,300
Unemployed, June, 1937—Number 30,578 2,638 15,924 15.875 10,094 169,218
Per cent. 18.8 32.1 11.8 22.7 20.1 19.5
Unemployed, Feb., 1938*—Number 27,447 1,871 12,350 10,056 8,677 97,395
Per cent. 17.0 22.8 9.2 14.4 17.2 11.2
Iron and Steel.†
Estimated number (aged 16 and over) insured, July, 1923. 30,410 6,310 16,990 14,620 33,360 239,580
Unemployed, June, 1923—Number 2,123 1,9l6 4,385 2,616 8,679 46,770
Per cent. 7.0 30.4 25.8 17.9 26.0 19.5
Estimated number (aged 16–64) insured, July, 1936. 25,340 4,010 10,180 12,210 21,720 186,020
Unemployed, June, 1936—Number 6,402 779 2,002 3,135 4,250 28,219
Per cent. 25.3 19.4 19.7 25.7 19.6 15.2
Estimated number (aged 16–64) insured, July, 1937. 27,240 4,040 10,260 12,260 23,650 199,180
Unemployed, June, 1937—Number 4,325 735 1,130 1,527 3,674 19,754
Per cent. 15.9 18.2 11.0 12.5 15.5 9.9
Unemployed, Feb., 1938*—Number 8,777 627 1,349 1,682 3,605 28,052
Per cent. 32.2 15.5 13.1 13.7 15.2 14.1
Shipbuilding and Ship-repairing.
Estimated number (aged 16 and over) insured, July, 1923 12,180 250 57,230 34,280 60,210 245,530
Unemployed, June, 1923—Number 4.832 189 34,906 13,351 33,300 112,639
Per cent. 39.7 75.5 61.0 38.9 55.3 45.9
Estimated number (aged 16–64) insured, July, 1936. 4,800 40 32,350 22,720 35,330 150,750
Unemployed, June, 1936—Number 2,512 26 12,660 7,870 11,798 44,901
Per cent. 52.3 65.0 39.1 34.6 33.4 29.8
Estimated number (aged 16–64) insured, July, 1937. 4,850 30 33,580 25,550 37,560 163,220
Unemployed, June, 1937—Number 2,188 21 11,638 5,432 9,417 36,942
Per cent. 45.1 70.0 34.7 21.3 25.1 22.6
Unemployed, Feb., 1938*—Number 1,394 50 9,443 5,149 8,609 34,129
Per cent 28.7 ‡ 28.1 20.1 22.9 20.9
Dock, Harbour, etc., Service.
Estimated number (aged 16 and over) insured, July, 1923. 12,370 480 8,520 47,800 9,960 187,900
Unemployed, June, 1923—Number 1,566 238 2,225 13.515 2,395 48,863
Per cent. 12.7 49.6 26.1 28.3 24.0 26.0
Estimated number (aged 16–64) insured, July, 1936. 9,820 450 8,090 39,470 8,560 160,620
Unemployed, June, 1936—Number 4,917 310 3,352 15,242 2,024 45,763
Per cent. 50.1 68.9 41.4 38.6 23.6 28.9
Estimated number (aged 16–64) insured, July, 1937. 9,390 440 7,910 40.750 8,250 161,240
Unemployed, June, 1937—Number 4,353 241 2,581 14,309 1,876 42,263
Percent. 46.4 54.8 32.6 35.1 22.7 26.2
Unemployed, Feb., 1938*—Number 2,637 195 2,933 15,641 2,005 44,464
Percent. 28.1 44.3 37.1 38.4 24.3 27.6
— South Wales. West Cumberland. Durham and Tyneside. Lancashire and Mersey-side. West of Scotland. GreatBritain.
Shipping Service.
Estimated number (aged 16 and over) insured, July, 1923. 9,380 200 10,710 28,690 8,980 124,000
Unemployed, June, 1923—Number 1,760 43 2,140 5,531 1,449 20,104
Per cent. 18.8 21.5 20.0 19.3 16.1 16.2
Estimated number (aged 16–64)insured, July, 1936. 10,620 210 11,350 31,050 11,360 138,349
Unemployed, June, 1936—Number 4,132 78 4,535 12,094 2,656 34,551
Per cent. 38.9 37.1 40.0 39.0 23.4 25.0
Estimated number (aged 16–64)insured, July, 1937. 9,840 210 10,260 29,330 10,530 131,250
Unemployed, June, 1937—Number 3,012 68 3,282 9,741 2,330 27,727
Per cent. 30.6 32.4 32.0 33.2 22.1 21.1
Unemployed, Feb., 1938*-Number 3,168 72 3,741 10,768 2,777 32,603
Per cent. 32.2 34.3 36.5 36.7 26.4 24.8
* The figures for February, 1938, have been compiled in accordance with the revised procedure for counting the unemployed, introduced in September, 1937, under which persons subsequently found to be in employment at the date of the count are excluded from the figures.
†Including the manufacture of pig iron (blast furnaces), steel melting and iron puddling, iron and steel rolling, etc.
‡At February, 1938, a number of insured persons classified as belonging to the shipbuilding and repairing industry, who were in employment at the exchange of books in July, 1937 in some other area, had returned to West Cumberland as unemployed. It is consequently impracticable to give for February, 1938, a percentage rate of unemployment comparable with those for the earlier dates included in the table.