§ Mr. HERRIOTTSasked the Lord Privy Seal how many work schemes have 2172W been sanctioned by him in the county of Durham; the total number of men it is estimated they will employ; how many such schemes are already in operation; and how many men are at present employed?
Mr. THOMASpursuant to his reply [OFFICIAL REPORT, 29th May, 1930, col. 1503; Vol. 239] circulated the following statement:
The Unemployment Grants Committee have, since 1st June, 1929, approved for grant 122 schemes of work submitted by local authorities and other public bodies in the County of Durham estimated to cost about £1,460,000 and to provide direct work equivalent to the employment of about 5,700 men for a year. As regards the numbers actually at work on these schemes, the latest returns available relate to the 25th April; at that date 50 of the schemes were in active operation, giving direct employment to 1,429 men. The Ministry of Transport have sanctioned 11 road schemes submitted by local authorities in the County of Durham under the Five Years' Programme. These are estimated to cost about £170,000 and to provide direct work equivalent to the employment of 340 men for a year. According to the April returns, seven of these schemes were in operation giving direct employment to 213 men. Under the Trunk Roads Programme, four schemes estimated to cost about £260,000 and to provide direct work equivalent to the employment of 530 men for a year have been sanctioned. All of these schemes were in operation in April and 731 men were directly employed on them. Under Part I of the Development (Loan Guarantees and Grants) Act, 1929, three schemes estimated to cost about £590,000 have been sanctioned. Two of these schemes are in operation. On the basis described in the White Paper issued in March last, it is estimated that the schemes will provide work equivalent to the employment of about 2,400 men for a year direct and indirect, but no precise statistics are available.