§ Captain BERKELEYasked the Minister of Labour what proportion of the unemployed registered at the Employment Exchanges in industrial centres are of the age of 65 and over; what proportion are men of more than middle age; and what proportion are under 40?
§ Mr. SHAWStatistics are not normally compiled respecting the ages of claimants to unemployment benefit. In November last, however, an investigation was made of the personal circumstances and industrial history of 10,000 claimants to benefit, selected in such a way as to constitute a representative sample of the whole body of claimants and, with the permission of the hon. Member, I will circulate in the OFFICIAL REPORT the result of this investigation in so far as it relates to the ages of the claimants. The information available does not enable me to give separate figures for claimants in industrial centres.
Following is the statement referred to:
DISTRIBUTION by Age Groups of 10,000 claimants to unemployment benefit whose cases were investigated in November, 1923.
Age Groups. Males. Females. Per cent. Per cent. 16 and 17 years … 3.1 8.3 18 and 19 years … 4.7 15.6 20 to 24 years … 16.3 29.5 25 to 29 years … 11.8 16.7 30 to 34 years … 10.2 9.8 35 to 44 years … 16.9 10.6 45 to 54 years … 17.6 5.9 55 to 59 years … 8.1 1.4 60 years and over … 11.3 2.2