HC Deb 10 June 1920 vol 130 cc651-2W
Mr. CHARLES EDWARDS

asked the Minister of Labour whether the cost of finding employment by the Employment Exchanges for every person placed is £27; and if these payments or charges come within the scope of the inquiry by the Committee just about to be set up?

Dr. MACNAMARA

As the number of persons for whom employment is found is over 1,000,000 a year, and the total cost of the Employment Exchanges for all purposes during the financial year 1919–20 was a little over £3,000,000, my hon. Friend will readily recognise that the figure mentioned by him is inaccurate. When allowance is made for the cost of administering out-of-work donation and unemployment benefit and other items of work performed by the Exchanges, the cost properly attributable to the finding of employment works out at somewhere between 5s. and 10s. per head. The question of cost will be considered by the Committee referred to by my hon. Friend.

Sir F. HALL

asked the Minister of Labour what was the cost during the year 1919–20 of administering the Employment Exchanges, including a proper proportion of head office charges; what was the number of cases in which employment was found for men and women through the Exchanges in the same period, and the average weekly wage of each job so provided; and how many of the positions thus found are still held by the persons appointed to them through the Exchanges?

Dr. MACNAMARA

The cost during the year 1919–20 of administering the Employment Exchanges, Branch Employment Offices, and Divisional Offices, including a proportion of head office charges, was approximately £3,200,000. This includes the cost of administration of out-of-work donation and unemployment insurance, as well as a great variety of other matters, and takes into account charges (including capital expenditure) borne on the Votes of Departments other than the Ministry of Labour. The number of vacancies filled was 1,184,569, of which 711,873 were filled by men and boys and 472,696 by women and girls. I regret that information is not available with regard to the other parts of my hon. and gallant Friend's question.