§ Mr. Rhys Daviesasked the Minister of Labour whether he will state the percentages of unemployment at the last available date covering the Hindley, Horwich and Westhoughton Employment Exchanges, and for similar dates for the previous five years?
§ Mr. E. Brown,pursuant to his reply (OFFICIAL REPORT, 17th November, 1938; col. 1027, Vol. 341) supplied the following statement:
The following table shows for a date in October in the years in question the percentages which the numbers of insured persons aged 16–64 (exclusive of agricultural workers) recorded as unemployed at the Hindley, Horwich and Westhoughton Employment Exchanges bear to the approximate number of unemployment books exchanged at those offices:
Date. Hindley. Horwich. West-houghton. 17th October, 1938.* 43.3 9.3 35.7 18th October, 1937.* 34.2 8.6 23.0 26th October, 1936. 32.5 11.6 27.4 21st October, 1935. 36.9 13.4 30.7 22nd October, 1934. 45.3 15.5 33.9 23rd October, 1933. 42.2 17.8 27.1 * The figures for 17th October, 1938, and 18th October, 1937, are affected by the change in the procedure for counting the unemployed introduced in September, 1937, under which persons subsequently found to be in employment at the date of the count are excluded from the figures. A number of insured persons register when unemployed at local offices in Hindley and Westhoughton whose books were exchanged at other local offices, thus tending to give higher percentages than would be indicated by the state of employment in the areas named.