§ Lieut.-Colonel HORLICKasked the Minister of Labour how many persons have been registered as unemployed in the building trade since 1st January, 1925; how much has been paid in unemployment benefit since that date; and how many of then, persons are registered as bricklayers and plasterers, respectively?
§ Mr. BETTERTONThe average number of persons in the building trades 1457W registered at Employment Exchanges in Great Britain as unemployed in the first quarter of 1925 was 79,500, of whom 975 were bricklayers and 337 plasterers. Separate figures of benefit paid to particular trades are not available, but assuming that these workpeople drew the same average amount per head as unemployed workpeople generally and allowing for the relatively small proportion of women and juveniles included, the total amount of unemployment benefit drawn by them in the three months is estimated to be in the neighbourhood of £800,000