§ Mr. T. Williamsasked the Minister of Labour how many persons were unemployed in the Thorne area on 1st July, 1936, 1937 and 1938; how many in the same area were in receipt of unemployment assistance; and what steps have been taken to increase employment in the area?
§ Mr. Lennox-BoydFigures are not available for 1st July. The numbers of unemployed persons on the registers of Thorne Employment Exchange at 22nd June, 1936, 21st June, 1937, and 13th June, 1938, were 4,063, 4,136 and 1,401, respectively. These totals included 1,122, 776 and 709 persons, respectively, with applications authorised for the payment of unemployment allowances. Comparison with the years 1936 and 1937 is affected by the incidence of the annual demonstration of the Yorkshire Mineworkers Association. As regards the last part of the question, no special steps have been taken in respect of the Thorne area alone.