§ 58. Mr. Gibsonasked the Minister of Labour whether he has now completed the inquiry into the figures of unemployment and short-time in the furniture and cabinet making industry; whether he is aware that the trade unions concerned now report a considerable increase in these numbers; and what action is being taken in this regard.
§ Mr. Iain MacleodAs regards the first part of the Question, I would refer the hon. Member to the reply which I gave on 19th April to the hon. Member for West Ham, North (Mr. Lewis). According to reports from my local offices, the number of workers in the furniture industry affected by short-time has increased by about 1,000 since the middle of March.126W As regards the last part of the Question, I would refer the hon. Member to the reply given by my hon. and learned Friend the Parliamentary Secretary to the Board of Trade to the hon. Member for Shoreditch and Finsbury (Mr. Collins) on 27th March.