Mrs. RUNCIMANasked the Minister of Labour what is the total number of unemployed persons from distressed areas, men, women and boys, respectively, who, during the period 1926 to the present time, have been transferred by his Department to work in their own occupation in other places; and the numbers who have been trained for different work, have been trained and placed in situations in this country, and have emigrated, respectively?
§ Mr. BETTERTONI regret that statistics are not available which would
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§ Mr. BETTERTONThe following table shows the number of persons on the registers of the Employment Exchanges at Plymouth and Devonport, respectively, on each Monday of April, 1929:
show the number of persons from distressed areas transferred to work in their own occupations in other places. During the period 1926 to the present time, 8,312 men have satisfactorily completed a course of training for employment in this country, of whom 7,816 are known to have found employment During the same period 13,301 women and girls were trained in domestic work at the home training centres conducted by the Central Committee of Women's Training and Employment. Information is not available to show, over the whole period, the proportion placed in employment, but 2351W statistics for the financial year 1928–29 show that 86.49 per cent. of the women and girls who completed their training were placed in domestic service. 5,607 men have completed courses of training for overseas, of whom 5,394 have already-emigrated and 213 are now awaiting embarkation. Statistics showing what proportion of these men came from depressed areas are not available. Twenty-one women and 16 boys have recently sailed for the Dominions after receiving a course of training at one of a number of hostels recently established with financial assistance from my Department (as distinct from the hostels and similar institutions financed under the Empire Settlement Act). At these hostels 29 women and 40 boys are now in training and a further nine women have completed their training but have not yet sailed. Precise information is not available as to the number of boys transferred from the distressed areas to employment elsewhere in this country prior to 17th February, 1928. Since that date 2,870 boys have been so transferred; the great majority of these had been prepared for employment by attendance at Juvenile Unemployment Centres and were usually placed in occupations other than those (if any) in which they had previously been employed.
§ Mr. DAYasked the Minister of Labour whether his attention has been drawn to the fact that Mr. A. Adams, of No. 155, Manor Place, Walworth, who had been in regular employment in the borough of Southwark for the past 15 months, was dismissed from his employment for the purpose of filling the position he had occupied by a person who had been transferred through the machinery of the Ministry of Labour into the borough of Southwark area; and has his Department been supplied with any reasons for Mr. Adams's dismissal?
§ Mr. BETTERTONI have no evidence that the dismissal of Mr. Adams was for the reason suggested by the hon. Member. In notifying Mr. Adams's discharge to the local Employment Exchange his employer stated that he wanted a man to live and sleep in. I may add that Mr. Adams has since found work elsewhere.
§ Mr. G. HALLasked the Minister of Labour whether he is aware that David 2352W Harris, of 3, Clifton Crescent, Aberaman, Aberdare, who was unemployed and succeeded in obtaining employment at Tremsaran, near Kidwelty, Carmarthenshire, applied for and was refused the subsistence and removal allowance paid to unemployed persons transferred from the distressed areas; and will he give the reasons for the refusal of the allowance in this case?
§ Mr. BETTERTONMr. Harris transferred from one scheduled depressed mining area to another. He was, therefore, not eligible to receive assistance under the Government removal scheme, the purpose of which is to facilitate the removal of persons from depressed to non-depressed areas.