HC Deb 05 December 1938 vol 342 cc880-1W
Mr. Parker

asked the Minister of Labour when he intends to take steps to include all black-coated workers with under £400 income inside the unemployment insurance scheme?

Mr. Lennox-Boyd

My right hon. Friend has nothing to add to previous replies on this subject.

Mr. Lathan

asked the Minister of Labour whether he can state, either definitely or approximately, the number of non-manual workers included in the current records of registered unemployed; the number of those workers who are women or girls; and whether he has any information in regard to the number of unregistered unemployed non-manual workers?

Mr. Lennox-Boyd

The unemployment statistics compiled by my Department do not distinguish non-manual workers separately. I am unable to make any reliable estimate of the total number included in the figures, but at 20th June, 1938, the latest date for which such figures are available, 67,335 men and 39,151 women wholly unemployed, aged 18 and over, were registered at Employment Exchanges as applicants for employment in occupations that are wholly or mainly non-manual. I have no information as to the numbers of unemployed non-manual workers who do not register at Employment Exchanges.