§ Sir M. BARLOWasked the Minister of Labour whether there is a shortage of labour in the cotton and woollen trades; whether at the same time there are large numbers on the unemployed rolls at the Labour Exchanges in the cotton and woollen areas; and whether supply and demand can be better adjusted?
§ Sir R. HORNEOn the 7th November there were in the cotton trade 4,357 men and 943 women drawing out-of-work donation. At the same time the employers were asking for 794 men and 2,356 women. In the woollen and worsted trades there were 1,684 men and 244 women on donation, while employers were asking for ninety-one men and 695 women. In these industries there is thus a shortage of women and an excess of men. The adjustment of supply and demand is not a matter within the control of this Ministry. It is governed partly by the unemployed persons' suitability for the particular work to be done and by the employers' need for maintaining the proper proportion of several classes of labour in their different departments. Difficulty also arises from the decreased mobility of labour due to the shortage or housing accommodation. I may add that an inquiry into the causes of unemployment in the cotton spinning section is at the present moment being held by the trade itself; and the matter is being carefully watched.