§ Mr. D. GRENFELLasked the Minister of Labour the number of unemployed previously in receipt of public assistance now receiving unemployment allowance from the Unemployment Assistance Board?
Mr. STANLEYI would refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave to a similar question put on Tuesday by the hon. Member for Rothwell (Mr. Lunn).
§ Mr. H. WILLIAMSasked the Minister of Labour whether any comparisons have been instituted between the number of persons registered as unemployed at the Employment Exchanges and the number of persons of all classes who described themselves as unemployed at the time of the last census of population; and if he can furnish an estimate of the number of persons unemployed on the Census day who were not included on the live register?
Mr. STANLEYThe total number of persons enumerated as out of work in Great Britain at the Population Census of 1931, which related to the night of Sunday, 26th April, was 2,524,514. The number of unemployed persons on the registers of Employment Exchanges on 27th April, 1931, was 2,520,113. These totals, however, are not strictly comparable, since the Census figures cover all persons who described themselves as out390W of work, including those who were not registered at Employment Exchanges, whilst it seems probable, on the other hand, that some of the persons who registered at the Employment Exchanges as temporarily suspended from their employment did not describe themselves as out of work on the Census schedule. As the statistics compiled by my Department are classified by industries and not by occupations, whilst Census figures for England and Wales, so far as published, are on an occupational basis, detailed comparisons cannot yet be made. When the Census figures, classified by industries, have been published, I will consider how far a comparison may properly be drawn between them and the statistics compiled by my Department, but in view of the differences in the bases on which the two sets of figures are compiled, I doubt whether they will provide a satisfactory means of estimating the number of unemployed persons not registered at the Employment Exchanges.