§ Mr. C. EDWARDSasked the Minister of Labour whether, seeing the financial difficulties of urban authorities in launching schemes to relieve unemployment on 433W second class roads, as laid down in the conditions of Clause 7 of the Unemployment Grants Committees Forms, U.G.C. 9 and 10, he will consider amending those conditions so as to place them in the same position as applied to first class roads; and whether he is aware that the work on main roads, owing to the long period of unemployment has been completed and no other work can be undertaken unless the same help is given?
§ Colonel ASHLEYI have been asked to answer this question. So far as concerns the assistance that may be given out of the funds at the disposal of the Unemployment Grants Committee, to road works which have been expedited for the relief of unemployment, there is no distinction made between Class I and Class II roads, and the assistance given is approximately equal to 50 per cent. of the cost. As I explained, however, on the 22nd June, in an answer to the hon. Member for North Tottenham (Mr. R. Morrison), it is not possible to depart from the rule that schemes assisted from the Road Fund cannot in addition draw grants from the Unemployment Grants Committee and vice versa. For this reason, schemes coming within the category of normal maintenance and improvement, towards which "classification" grants are made from the Road Fund at the rate of 50 per cent. for Class I roads and 25 per cent. for Class II roads,
434W
Imports of Silk and Artificial Silk in June, 1924 and 1925. Description. Unit. June, 1924. June, 1925. Silk: Raw, Knubs and Noils lb. 211,000 1,143,000 Thrown Silk and Spun Silk Yarn lb. 46,000 452,000 Manufactures, wholly of silk: Piece goods sq yds. 4,917,000 21,969,000 Lace £ 7,000 20,000 Ribbons £ 117,000 151,000 Manufactures of silk mixed with other materials: Piece goods sq. yds. 1,320,000 9,436,000 Lace £ 13,000 29,000 Ribbons £ 120,000 312,000 Other Manufactures of silk or of silk mixed with other materials (except apparel). £ 94,000 390,000 Artificial Silk: Waste lb. 12,000 364,000 Yarn lb. 650,000 3,909,000 Manufactures (except apparel) £ 157,000 989,000 cannot obtain further assistance from the Unemployment Grants Committee.