Sir H. SAMUELasked the Minister of Labour if she will give official figures or estimates, for the most recent date for which they are available, of the number 1134W of unemployed workpeople in Germany, Austria, Italy and the United States, respectively?
§ Mr. LAWSONInformation with regard to these and other countries is given monthly in "The Ministry of Labour Gazette." The following is a summary of the latest available information:
Germany.—At the end of January, the number of workpeople registered at the Employment Exchanges as available for and seeking work was reported to be approximately 3,259,000. This total is provisional and subject to correction.
Austria.—The number of workers registered at the Employment Exchanges as seeking work at the end of December, 1929, was 265,464, of whom 226,567 were in receipt of unemployment benefit. The number registered as seeking work at the end of January is not yet available, but the number in receipt of unemployment benefit at that date had risen to 273,197.
Italy.—According to the latest official figures available, 408,748 workpeople were recorded as unemployed at the end of December, 1929.
United States of America.—Statistics of unemployment are not compiled officially in the United States. Returns received by the American Federation of Labour in respect of a limited number of organised workers in 24 American cities, are reported to have shown the following proportions as unemployed on 1st January, 1930: Building trades, 38 per cent.; printing trades, 5 per cent.; metal trades, 14 per cent.; all other trades, 11 per cent. It should be noted (a) that there is a marked seasonal movement in employment in the building industry in the United States, and (b) that in view of the relatively small number of workpeople covered, it is doubtful how far the percentages shown may be relied upon as a measure of unemployment generally in that country.