§ 84. Mr. Lewisasked the Minister of Labour the total number of dockers unemployed at the latest convenient stated date; how this compares with a similar date in 1951; and whether he will state similar figures for each of the ports.
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§ Mr. WatkinsonIn the week ending 31st January, 1953, the average daily number of registered dock workers surplus to requirements was 9,508 or 12.5 per cent. of the totals on the registers; the figure for the week ending 27th January, 1951, was 3,294 or 5.1 per cent. I will send the hon. Member figures for individual ports or groups of ports.
§ Mr. Lewisasked the Minister of Labour if he will make a further statement on the position of unemployment in the docks, with particular reference to the alteration in the National Dock Labour scheme and the number of dockers that have, to the latest convenient date, requested their release under the revision of this scheme recently announced by his Department.
§ Mr. WatkinsonAlthough there has been some improvement in recent weeks, the number of registered dock workers surplus to requirements continues at a relatively high level. During the four weeks since the revision of the release scheme, 281 dockers were released by the National Dock Labour Board, bringing the total released under their scheme to 628.