§ Mr. RHYS DAVIESasked the Minister of Labour if he can state at a given date for each of the last five years, including the most recent date possible, the numbers of persons employed in the textile and coal industries, respectively, within the county of Lancashire?
§ Sir H. BETTERTONSeparate statistics of the estimated numbers of insured persons and of such persons recorded as unemployed for individual industries are ordinarily compiled for administrative divisions and figures relating to the estimated numbers insured are only available for the end of June in each year. The following table gives for the textile and coal-mining industries in the North-Western Division, which includes, besides Lancashire, the counties of Cheshire, Cumberland and Westmorland, and the Glossop and New Mills Districts of Derbyshire, the estimated numbers of insured persons at the end of June of each year from 1929 to 1933 and the numbers of such persons recorded as unemployed at the end of April of each year from 1930 to 1934 :
operation; and whether he is aware that local authorities are anxious that it should be brought into operation at the earliest possible date?
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§ Sir H. BETTERTONI am aware of the views of local authorities on this matter, but I am not in a position to add to the statement made by my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer in reply to a question on this subject by the hon. Member for Middlesbrough East (Mr. E. J. Young) on 26th April.