§ 37. Mr. McKayasked the Minister of Labour if he is aware of redundancy and short-time working in the furnishing industry which is causing hardship; if he will give the percentage of unemployment and short-time working there; and what are the prospects of improvement.
§ Mr. HareThe number of workers last employed in the furniture and upholstery industries who registered as wholly unemployed on 16th January was 1,933, representing 1.8 per cent. of the total number of employees; in addition, 3,515 or 3.3 per cent. registered as temporarily stopped. In the week ended 31st December, 1960, the latest date for which figures are available, the number on short time was 6,314, about 6 per cent. of those employed. Some of those on short time are also counted in the unemployment figures as temporarily stopped. There should be a seasonal improvement during the next few months.