§ Mr. R. MORRISONasked the Minister of Labour, in view of the fact that the June issue of the "Labour Gazette," pages 189 and 208, gives the total number of unemployed upon insurance registers as 1,253,000, and the number of unemployed in insured industries, pages 206 and 207, as 1,294,265, if he will explain how the difference is accounted for?
§ Mr. BETTERTONThe figure 1,253,000 is the number of persons, insured and uninsured, who on 25th May, 1925, were maintaining registration at Employment Exchanges, Branch Employment Offices and Juvenile Employment Bureaux. The figure 1,294,965 is the number of unemployment books recorded on 25th May, 1925, as remaining lodged at these offices. Both figures relate to Great Britain and Northern Ireland. An unemployment book is ordinarily deposited at one of these offices when the insured person to whom it belongs claims benefit. The book remains in the custody of the office until the insured person again obtains work at an insured trade. A book is recorded as lodged until the insured person obtains employment, insured or uninsured, falls sick, emigrates, dies, etc., or, if the office is without information on this point, until two months have elapsed since he was last known to be unemployed. The figure 1,294,265 which relates only to insured person is higher than the figure 1,253,000 which relates both to insured and uninsured persons, because the former figure includes a number of persons who after lodging their unemployment books fail for various reasons to maintain registration. Some of those who fail to maintain registration are no doubt in employment or for other reasons are not properly to be counted as "unemployed," but the number in this position is not known: on the other hand, some may remain unemployed after their books; have ceased to be recorded as lodged.