§ Captain A. HUDSONasked the Minister of Labour if she will supply complete half-yearly average figures of wages, employment and unemployment for the years 1927 to 1929, inclusive, in the enamelled hollow-ware industry?
§ Miss BONDFIELDI regret that information is not available as to average wages in the years 1927 to 1929, nor as to the numbers or proportions of workers unemployed,, this industry not being separately distinguished in the statistics of employment and unemployment among workpeople insured against unemployment. Minimum rates of wages have been fixed, however, for workers in the hollow-ware trade, by Statutory Orders under the Trade Board Acts, and these rates remained unchanged during 1927, 1928 and 1929. As regards employment in the wrought enamelled hollow-ware industry, returns supplied to the Board of Trade by most of the manufacturers concerned, through their trade association or otherwise, show the following numbers of persons employed in 1928 and 1929:
1928. 1929. First quarter … … 3,003 3,966 Second quarter … … 3,027 3,903 Third quarter … … 3,532 3,796 Fourth quarter … … 3,855 4,058 Comparable figures for 1927 are not available.