HC Deb 11 February 1931 vol 248 cc414-5W
Mr. BATEY

asked the Minister of Health the names of the local authorities who have received 100 per cent. grants to provide work for the unemployed in distressed areas, and the amount of each grant?

Mr. GREENWOOD

A list was given in reply to a question asked by my hon. Friend the Member for Northampton (Mr. Malone) on the 5th instant.

Mr. MALONE

asked the Minister of Labour the number of local authorities with a population of under 20,000 which are entitled to receive assistance under the Development (Loans, Guarantees, and Grants) Act, 1929; how many of these authorities have submitted schemes; what is the total population of these areas; and the total number of the unemployed?

Mr. LAWSON

Any local authority is eligible to make application for assistance under the approved terms. The other details asked for could not be given without undue labour, but my hon. Friend can obtain from Appendix I of the recently published report of the Unemployment Grants Committee, Command Paper 3744, particulars of the schemes submitted from various areas up to 30th August, 1930.

Sir A. STEEL-MAITLAND

asked the Minister of Labour how many persons were employed on schemes financed out of the Road Fund in June, 1929, and January, 1931, respectively; and how many on schemes assisted by the State other than those financed out of the Road Fund at the same respective dates?

Mr. LAWSON

I understand the right hon. Gentleman to be referring to State-aided schemes of public work for the relief of unemployment. On this basis the figures are as follow: The number of persons directly employed on the site on schemes assisted by the Ministry of Transport was 30,000 on 19th December, 1930. Strictly comparable figures for June, 1929, are not available, but the number on 29th June, 1929, was not less than 10,000. The figures for schemes assisted by Departments other than the Ministry of Transport were 9,000 on 29th June, 1929, and 63,000 on 19th December, 1930.