§ Sir K. WOODasked the Minister of Labour the approximate periods that have been granted to alien dance and restaurant musicians to remain in this country; whether she proposes to continue the permits that are at present in force; what is the number of British musicians who are at present unemployed; and whether any special steps are being taken to mitigate unemployment in this profession?
§ Miss BONDFIELDPermits to employ alien musicians in this country may be granted for periods varying from a few days up to twelve months; extensions of such permission may be given if a case is made out for such extension; in the case of alien dance and restaurant band musicians a permit or an extension of a permit is not in general granted for more than six months at a time, and as a rule the permission is for a shorter period than this. The number of musicians here on permit at the moment is about 60. I am unable to say whether extensions of permission will be granted to any of them until the question is referred to me in any individual case by the Home Office, to which Department applications for extensions of permission must be addressed. At the 23rd June, the latest date for which figures are available, the number of musicians aged 18 and over recorded as wholly unemployed in Great Britain was 2,166 men and 674 women. Separate statistics for those of British nationality are not available. In reply to the last part of the question, the officers of Employment Exchanges, make every effort to place in employment, unemployed musicians who make application to them.